A family with a great story
by LadyPalma
Summary: A collection of one-shots about the DeVil-Heller family, mostly missing moments of my Authella fic "Loving the Devil". Taking prompts. Feauturing: Authella, Fitzgerald and Anita Heller (my OCs); some hints to Rumbelle, Neal Nolan, Nicky Gold (my OC), other pairings and other characters.
1. A meaningful name and a meaningless one

_**A meaningful name and a meaningless one**_

 **Prompt: Can you write one were Fitzgerald asks why he got his name and can reveal how Cruella called her daughter Anita?**

* * *

"Mom, just one more question"

Cruella sighed heavily and casted a glare at the boy, but eventually just nodded. It was actually at least the twentieth question and, in less than fourty minutes, she had already been forced to revive: the first encounter with Isaac, the beginning of her friendship with Maleficent and Ursula and also some moments of her children's childhood. Everything in a sugarcoated version, of course. One would thing that the time of constant "why?"-questions was over after five years old, but apparently putting a first step in the teen-age had given start to a new round of curiosities.

"Why was I called Fitzgerald?"

"I think you know pretty well why you are called like this, _little_ _puppy_ " she answered absent-mindedly, continuing to fix the sleeves of the boy's jacket.

She had spent two weeks making the children's dresses for the baptism of Lily and August's second child, but the hardest hard proved to be trying them on – for the unwanted interrogatory, first of all. Perhaps it was exactly the choice of the baby name that gave to Fitz the idea of that last question: _Woody Booth_ was in fact a meaningful name indeed, and – according to Cruella – also quite funny. But, after all, who was her to judge?

"Yes, I do" the boy replied with a nod, thinking immediately about his father's obsession with that writer. "But what I mean is, why did you agree and how did you two exactly decide? Not that I'm complaining, but… Just to know"

Cruella held back the urge to roll her eyes and instead remained some moments just focusing on the last details of the suit. Just some more seconds, because her work was finally over. A satisfied smile crossed her lips as she admired her boy for a short while: in spite he had taken most of his features from Isaac, he already was a beauty and in a few years he could see him having girls at his feet. He had looks and also wits – what a pity that he talked too much!

"I was six months pregnant and I had just got the job at the library – yes, I worked for a short while with aunt Belle – and as a way of celebrating, your father came up with a list of potential names for you" she finally gave up, looking into his eyes and starting to tell that story as well. Luckily, it was one that didn't need much changes. "They were all names of writers, of course ,and it wasn't the first time he showed me that. I was already getting pretty annoyed – besides I was craving for cherries! Anyway, Fitzgerald wasn't in the list though, because Isaac was thinking about writers' names only and not surnames. But eventually, he had a realization about it and I admit I didn't mind that – it was better than any other options, honestly. So I liked it, he liked it and _you_ liked that too. In fact, that evening was the first time he felt you kicking, you know, little puppy? Me too actually, because I never realized that those strange movings I've been feeling for weeks until then, it was you kicking!" she interrupted to chuckle amusingly. "I'll never forget his face! He was so shocked about me, and I got angry and offended of course… The usual arguments, nothing you don't already know"

While speaking, her voice seemed a bit distant and colored of a strange melancholy. Probably she didn't realize that, but everytime she rivived some happy moments of the past, she showed a lot of feelings and Fitzgerald loved to see that unusual aspect of her mother. Maybe that was the main reason why he had so many questions after all.

"And how did daddy make it up to you that one time?"

"He went and bought me cherries of course!" she exclaimed immediately, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Fitzgerald laughed, almost able to see the scene, and Cruella let out a smirk herself. However, there was a certain someone in the room who was enjoying that family-bond moment very much, or better they were two: Anita and the black and white cat she was playing with.

"So… Fitz gets the meaningful name and I get a normal one? It's not fair!" she suddenly said, speaking probably for the first time in order to give voice to her protest.

She seemed resented about that fact and from her point of view she had every right to be. She was the one to have inherited Isaac's love for literature the most, and at eleven years old she had already written some poems of her own.

"You should be grateful, _little diamond_ … If it had been up to you father, now your name would have been _Gertrude_ as Gertrude Stein!" Cruella calmed her, shaking her head at the thought of an annoying memory this time. But when she finally turned around to look at her daughter, her annoyance turned into anger and all for a more concrete reason. "Oh and for furs's sake, Anita! Don't play with that hideous fleabag while you're wearing that dress!"

Anita puffed, but didn't complain: she knew better than make her mother angrier, especially when it came to animals. "Go, _Joyce_ , we'll play later!" she exclaimed sending the cat away, while smoothing her light blue gown. "Anyway, I like Gertrude" she said then aloud, turning to Cruella.

The boy looked at the women of the family, perceiving that the situation was becoming tensed. So he decided to intervene. "Maybe you are called Anita after _Anita Garibaldi_ …"

"Yeah… ANITA i salso the name of the first calculator to be completely eletronic" the girl added hinting a smile.

"And also a species of spider sent in space – or so I've heard on TV!"

Anyone would have certainly been surprised listening to a conversation like that between two so young people, but Cruella instead was just annoyed. Sometimes they sounded like two brain-monsters, but after all what she could have expected? Isaac had started to read them stories before they had their first words yet – and besides Anita's first word had actually been _book_.

"Okay, _Wiki_ nita and Fitz _pedia_!" she suddenly exclaimed, before discovering that Anita maybe was also the name of a pornostar. "Anita doesn't mean anything and I choose that name _exactly_ for this reason, sorry to disappoint you…"

"What does that mean?" Anita asked, sounding no more disappointed but now just genuinely confused.

But Cruella just hinted her to come closer and allowed herself some moments to study her. She was beautiful like her brother, but unlike him she was blonde with blue eyes. From Isaac she had instead taken the kind character and also the behaviour, and it still amazed everyone in town to see a little Cruella acting totally like the author. It amazed Cruella first of all.

"I know what it means to have a name that means something and I didn't want that for you. Yes, you have a quite meaningless name, so it's totally up to you to give it a brand new meaning…" she explained softly, looking into her eyes.

"Oh, then there will be a new page on Wikipedia with _Anita Heller_ as a writer" the girl answered smirking. And it totally was Isaac's hopeful smirk.

Cruella rolled her eyes at that, but then instinctively pulled the girl into an insual hug and just whispered in her ear without a trace of irony: " _You'll be one of the greats, little diamond_ "

* * *

 **Hello! First of all, thanks to _guest_ for the prompt! After I've kinda introduced Fitzgerald (in "Of moms, gin and tattos"), I'm proud (?) to introduce you Anita as well! I decided that it was Cruella to choose that name, just because she liked it AND didn't mean anything yet. I think that "Cruella" as a name is somehow a burden for her, so she wouldn't want her child to suffer that as well - in negative or in positive. For Fitzgerald it was instead Isaac to choose, so it was quite different... Anyway, hope you liked this sort of fluffy moment in the Heller-De Vil family :)**

 **As a note: the story of how Fitzgerald's name was chosen is totally a reference to chapter 12 of my fic "Loving the Devil", so if you want to know more I suggest you to go and give a look:)**

 **Oh and if maybe you have some other ideas for me to write (Heller-De Vil family or just Authella), let me know!:)**


	2. Car memories

**_Car memories_**

 **Prompt: I would like to see some scenes after the wedding (before chapter 12) and maybe an anniversary? (The more authella, the better)**

* * *

 _It was a beautiful day indeed: surely the best one of his life, and Cruella herself was less annoyed than she previously imagined to be. However, after the long celebration at Granny's, the many dances and idle chats with the actual guest and the nosey townspeople, the two spouses were actually looking forward more for the wedding night. She was so focused on this thought that not even commented about the dreadful plaque on her car with the writing "JUST MARRIED"; instead, she just bit her tongue and let him help her sitting on the passenger seat._

" _It will be quite difficult to remove this dress… I may use some help" Isaac whispered in a slightly mischievous tone, while securing her belt._

 _She said nothing, but as soon as he closed the door, she removed the belt and started to strip the fur and the gloves off. By the time he finally sat at her side, she was already working on the zip of the dress._

" _What are you doing?"_

" _Helping you, darling, as you have just asked"_

 _Isaac's confusion turned into action as he attempted to stop her moves. "Are you serious? You mean now and here?"_

 _As immediate answer, Cruella just reclined her seat and grabbed his arm, attracting him more to her. "Why not? We never had sex in the car and that's really a shame, don't you think?"_

 _The author actually had a different conception of_ shame _; even though he was intrigued by the idea, he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward about it - especially when, giving a look outside the window, he saw an anaware doctor Hopper walking on the other side of the road with his dog._

" _Oh, Cru… Someone can see us! And besides, it can be quite uncomfortable…"_

" _Oh please, we did it in Granny's toilet once… This is definetly not uncomfortable!" she pointed out chuckling softly at the memory, while managing to recline his seat too. "And if the only problem is the audience, I can enchant the windows!"_

 _He remained for some moments in silence. Reliving the hot memory about the toilet of the diner made him feel more awkward, but at the same time more intrigued. Actually the only problem for him really was the possible viewers and so, when the windows were obscured, he was unexpectedly the one to eventually remove her long dress completely._

 _It was also a beautiful_ night _, indeed._

* * *

The windows turned clear again and only some seconds later the doors were opened, revealing the two Hellers with a curious smile on their faces – and it was the same smile of so many years before. It was certainly a way to keep their relationship alive and also to make Cruella remember which was the day of their anniversary.

"Mmm, this year was better than the last" Isaac commented, crossing the little garden of the house.

She followed him and nodded immediately in agreement. After all, she remembered very well too when she had accidentally hit her ankle on the steering wheel. "Yes, this year no harm done, darling… But I do expect big things for the next year… The twentieth anniversary must be unforgettable!"

Isaac, already with the keys in the door, looked back to his wife and noticing her thrilled expression, let out a small chuckle. _Nineteen years_ : it was nineteen years that they were together and, despite some ups and downs, they had managed to survive like every other couple. Maybe, a part of the merit was to give to that sort of yearly tradition as well. One could have said that they were too old, but yet when they acted like that they didn't feel to be a _nineteen years old married_ _coupl_ e, but just a _nineteen years old couple_.

"We are home!" he just exclaimed, with the echo of his chuckle still on his lips.

However when they both came back home, they just were faced by two pairs of annoyed looks and two pairs of crossed arms.

"What the hell have you been doing all this time in _my_ car?" the eighteen years old boy asked, slowly moving his eyes from one parent to another. If looks could kill.

"We were just celebrating our anniversary, Fitz! Anyway, _our_ car is out there, if you have to take it" Isaac calmy replied, while removing – _again_ – his coat and his hat.

"But… I thought that we were going to celebrate tonight with the family dinner at Granny's." This time it was Anita the one to object.

"Yeah… And besides what's use is the car to remember your wedding day?" Fitz continued, sounding this time genuinely confused.

Isaac prepared himself to formulate an answer, but before he could it was Cruella to speak up. And that was probably a terrible mistake.

"Oh, my naive little puppy,it was a way to celebrate our wedding night actually!"

A confused silence followed that exclamation for some seconds, until everyone unluckily understood the not so hidden implicit message. All eyes – including Isaac's ones – widened and blankly stared at the woman.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! I don't really don't wanna know… I will be shocked for life!" Fitz started suddenly to statter out, clearly uncomfortable by the whole situation. "Besides… Aren't you too old for this kind of things?"

Even though that question probably made things even more awkward, it at least managed to shake Anita from her state of trance. In fact, she immediately hit her brother on the arm and then, blushing furiously, she just mumbled something like: "I'll never put a foot in that car again!"

In a matter of seconds, the children both literally ran upstairs clearly forgetting any idea of going out, and before one of them could say anything, Cruella and Isaac found themselves to be alone again.

"Do you think I have exaggerated?" she asked, only a bit doubtful.

Isaac just glared at her, but that glare was standing however on the dangerous edge between anger and mischievousness. And finally it fell on the second side.

"Yes you did… But maybe there's a way you can make me forgive you" he replied with a totally unexpected smirk.

Cruella looked surprised but smirked back, as they exchanged a complicit look. The keys of the car were still in his hand after all…

* * *

 **First of all, thanks to CruelQueen for this prompt! I've tried to find a way to mix the two prompts and - even if pretty silly, I know - I hope you liked it:)**

 **So, since I've received more than one prompt (thank you so much!), I've decided to turn the one-shot into a collection of missing moments of "Loving the Devil", focusing on Authella's marriage, the "next generation" and the interactions with other characters. They could be my ideas or, especially, your prompts, so if you have don't hesitate to tell:)**

 **I'll try to update this one and "Loving the Devil" as soon as I can:)**


	3. Not okay

**_Not okay_**

 **Prompt: can you write where cruella is pregnant for third time but loses it sadly and her family/friends are there to comfort her.**

* * *

Cruella felt **empty.** It was a strange feeling that she didn't know how to explain: she didn't even wanted that child after all. In fact, at first when she had found out to be pregnant again, she had been angry, then scared, and also a bit uncomfortable at the idea that maybe she was too old for a third child. But during those three months, she didn't become aware of the fact that, among all these emotions, deep down there was some happiness too; she only realized it in the moment she saw blood on her white pants and that strange emptiness immediately started creeping in. Now it was gone, everything was gone – except for that blank emptiness of course.

"Are you okay?" Isaac dared to ask, while helping her laying down on the bed.

After a week they had just come back from the hospital and, in the meanwhile, he had tried to give her space and avoid that question. It was not a rhetorical one though: when it came to Cruella, nothing was really rhetorical.

In fact Cruella herself didn't know how to answer. She didn't know if she was okay, because she didn't know if _feeling that emptiness_ was okay. But what she knew is that _he_ was clearly not: the slightly trembling voice, the forced smiles and the tired face were concrete evidences of that fact. So, looking at him, she still didn't know the right answer, but at least she found out which was the one to say.

"Yes. I'm fine" she replied finally, even succeeding in making one smile of her own.

Because she owed him at least that: keep being the stronger one.

* * *

Cruella felt **scared**. It was not the first time she met that feeling but however it was the first time with that intensity. It was not the concrete fear she felt when she saw her mother's dogs, not the annoying one of not being enough and defintely not even the curious one of embracing her own happiness; it was the fear of recognizing her own strongest weakness, the fear of loosing everything.

She started to be anxious and that was a way to let that fear show. Without even realizing it, she followed her children everywhere and even refused to let others look after them; she wanted to be in charge and when something went wrong she was close to go mad. The breaking point was reached one sunny afternoon: she had taken the children out to the park and, while she lost sight for some moments of them, five years old Anita fell on the ground, unavoidably starting to cry. As unavoidably Cruella immediately jumped from the bench, of course.

"Hey, little diamond are you hurt?" she apprehensively asked, checking her red knee.

It was only thanks to seven years old Fitzgerald if she didn't go straight to Cinderella accusing her daughter to have pushed her own. "It was an accident" he said and the fact that after all both her children were safe, was conving enough.

"Mommy are you okay?" he asked after a while with a confusion expression on his face. Clearly, her unusually scared reaction had scared him a bit too.

Cruella looked surprised and just slightly nodded. "Yes, I'm okay" she managed to say. But this time she didn't manage to smile.

* * *

Cruella felt **guilty**. If she had not taken the car, if she had been more careful, if she had loved that baby more… If,if,if. Those "what if" questions couldn't stop unwillingly run through her mind and kept eating her alive even when she tried her best to have some fun. After some insistence, she had in fact agreed to leave the children with Isaac and spend one evening with her team of darkness.

"Are you okay?"

The typical question finally arrived, this time by Maleficent's mouth, when they remained alone. Alone with two glasses of gin of course.

Cruella just rolled her eyes and let out a small bitter chuckle. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

The answer came straight and almost painful. "Because everyone knows you're not."

The animal witch placed her glass on the table and just looked down in a strange embarassment. Suddenly the sense of guilty seemed to grow and involve some past deeds too. Only now that she was living a similar situation, she could in fact understand her friend's pain for loosing her baby many years before, and thinking about that now, she wasn't feeling so proud of her part in it.

"I'm sorry for Lily…" she simply said after a short while of complete silence. "I've been a real bitch, darling, haven't I?" she added, trying to force an ironic smile.

But Maleficent didn't share that irony and the smile she gave in return was a sincere one. "I've forgiven the Charmings and I've forgiven you too. It's okay."

"No, it's _not_ okay!" Mrs Heller quickly objected, with a harsher and louder voice than she had intended. " _I_ am not okay" admitted then, finally, this time in a whisper.

The dragon lady's look was empathic and her hand immediately went to find her friend's one. But when she also tried a hug, the other woman didn't allow that contact, pushing her away.

"Oh for furs' sake! We are queens of darkness, darling!"

"Yes, we are. But first of all, we are _mothers_ "

With that reply, Maleficent finally pulled her into a hug and, when Cruella unexpectedly started crying, she just held her all the while.

Because even if Cruella was a really terrible person indeed, it was clear to everyone that she was a wonderful mother.

* * *

 **Thanks to sara for the prompt! After two fluff/funny one-shots, I hope you enjoyed this angst one too! I tried to make everyone care for Cruella in this situation, but in the end I chose Maleficent to succeed in helping her because she seemed the most appropriate (also considering her backstory).**

 **I'm already working on the other prompts; next week other one-shots will come! If you have any other prompts you can always tell me and I'll put them into the list;)**

 **See you soon, darlings:)**


	4. The third word

**_The third word_**

 **Prompt: maybe Cruella and Isaac telling Fitz that he's going to be a big brother? :D**

* * *

"We should tell the others" Isaac suggested one morning during breakfast and Cruella was unexpectedly quick to accept the idea.

They had agreed on waiting until at least the third month of pregnancy to share the news, but apparently knowing it since two weeks so far was already a heavy burden for them. In fact, he was so happy that it was almost a miracle if he hadn't already shouted it to every person in Storybrooke, while she actually didn't mind: her friends had already started to be suspicious when she refused the gin for two consecutive meetings, after all.

However, they seemed to have a different conception of "telling the others". While Cruella spent in fact at least a hour on the phone with both Ursula and Maleficent, Isaac just sent a quick text to Rumplestiltskin inviting the Golds for dinner, and then spent the rest of the time talking with his firstborn.

"What are you doing?!" his wife asked suddenly, noticing the strange covnersation only after hanging up.

"I'm telling the big news!" he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, interrupting what looked like an important speech about pro and cons of having a sibiling.

She seemed quite confused and also a bit amused, but it was the hint of curiosity that made her decide to put finally down the phone and delay the call to Lily.

"Do you honestly think he will understand, darling? He will maybe get a clue when he'll see me becoming a whale – again – or when he'll see another little someone like him around the house…" she pointed out, letting all her skepticism show.

"Maybe you are underestimating Fitz too much! Besides, I just feel like we have to make him part of this news as well!"

"Yeah, you're right…" she agreed, picking up the baby in her arms. But the smile on her face was too forced to not raise suspects. "You know which other news you should know, little puppy? Your daddy is soon going to make a _vasectomy_!"

Isaac's eyes widened instantly and for a moment he just remained breathless, uncertain of what reaction have about it. So in the end he just yelled an incredulous: "What?"

But Cruella, still with that creepy smile on, just glanced at him. "It's either this or we stop sleeping together, darling. The choice is yours!"

"Oh, for God's sake, Cruella!" he exclaimed - this time immediately -, even more astonished. "You can't say such things in front of the baby!". He actually didn't know if it was shocking him more that or the idea itself of a vasectomy.

"Why not? Look at this…" she answered, looking now straight into the child's eyes and whispering: " _vasectomy, vasectomy, vasectomy_ ", making him giggling.

Mr Heller sighed heavily as he watched slightly annoyed the scene. "What are you going to do now? Magically teaching him his third word?" he teased then ironically.

But he should have learnt so far better than to play with the Devil. Cruella in fact nodded unexpectedly and kept on repeating the annoying word. "I'll succeed where you didn't, darling. Wanna bet?"she asked, while the tease became a challenge.

The man sighed again, now getting even a bit angry. Fitzgerald had said his first word at nine months: an unexpected "mama" that warmed both their parents hearts indeed, but also gave a point to Cruella. After that, Isaac had tried more and more to teach him a new word – possibly "dad" -, but instead at thirteen months he still hadn't added any new words. Except for once, when he just muttered something similar to "water" in time of need and lack of attention. And now, so much for his attempts, Cruella was suddenly trying one of her tricks and Fitzgerald was smiling at every word she said.

But if that image was making him resented, it was also the image that made that resentment wear off. Considering the beginning of his relationship with Cruella, he still was amazed by how much it had improved and it was completely amazing for him to watch them getting along so well. And so, in spite of everythin,g he just continued to watch in silence the scene, not able to hide the smile forming on his face.

 _At least until he actually heard Fitz mumbling a dangerous "vas- vas-"._

* * *

 **AHAHAH I'm sorry, I really am: this was intended to be more fluff and instead it turned out to be a silly thing. The point was that Fitz is too young for me to really understand the news, so I decided to focus on the two parents - arguing like always:) Thanks to Mia for the prompt anyway!**

 **See you soon (if you won't stop following me after this one, of course LoL)**


	5. Nightmares and Super-powers

**_Nightmares and Super-powers_**

 **Prompt: When they are very young, one of the children has a nightmare and ONLY wants MUMMY.**

* * *

A crying in the middle of the night, the noise of some steps coming closer and then Fitzgerald's annoyed face showing up at the door: it was the nightly routine of three weeks so far.

"Anita had a bad dream…" the seven years old boy predictably announced, not too sleepy to avoid an obvious roll of eyes.

Isaac sighed softly, but was quick to remove the covers and put on the slippers. He knew what was awaiting for him: at least two sleepless hours between calming down his little girl and then arguing with his wife about allowing her or not to sleep in their bed. However, when he finally stood up and took some steps toward the door, Fitzgerald suddenly raised his hand up to stop him.

"She doesn't want you" he just said, looking away from his father to point at the figure still laying in bed. "She asks for mommy."

Isaac's confusion – and maybe also disappointment – came as quick as Cruella's surprise. In fact, she instantly opened up her eyes and climbed down the bed, reaching in a matter of seconds the other two. In spite of the annoyance she usually showed for her daughter's nightmares, she had always been a bit jealous of that special relationship between Isaac and Anita and that reaction was revealing it completely. Now she had a chance to recover a bit of her daughter's affection , a chance to prove everyone that she could be more than useful; so she just flashed a mocking smile to her husband and went to the other room ready to give her comfort.

 _No matter if her furry nightgown didn't seem comforting at all._

"Hey, little diamond, what's up?" she asked in the softest tone possible, as she took a step into the room.

Five years old Anita, sitting on the bed with her back against the wall, looked up immediately revealing two puffy eyes and tears streaming down her little face. It looked like a tragedy, but luckily there was Fitzgerald - with a loud yawn and then a sort of laugh in his sister's face - to make some comedy. Usually Cruella would have chuckled too, but that one time tried her best not to; instead she just slowly approached the little girl's bed, waiting with a forced patience for her to open up.

"Nightmare…" Anita whispered in the end, moving from the wall to come closer to her mother.

"Mmm I had a clue of that… But what makes this nightmare different than the other ones?" Cruella asked, coming straight to the point. Because of course there had to be a difference if she was asking for her and not for her _precious incomparable_ daddy.

The little girl only shrugged. "Well…Only you can understan' this one, mommy"

Her eyes sparkled for a moment in fear and her expression looked so innocent that sent chill to Cruella's spine. It seemed to the woman as if she were looking at a young herself into the mirror and it was not a good vision actually. She still remembered too well her dreams as a child, dreams that led her to splash into darkness without even realizing it. Besides, what can possibly be something that only her understood? Murders, skinned animals,guns, poison…

"W-what have you dreamt about, my darling?" she asked, trying to interrupt the list of evil deeds coming to her mind. Now, applied to her daughter, they didn't seem so appealing anymore.

"I saw an evil dog killing my Joyce"Anita just told instead, as she rubbed her eyes. "And you hate dogs, right?"

Her mother looked a bit confused for a moment, probably still in the process of the worst scenario possible, but when she actually realized the meaning of that confession, she couldn't help but burst into a laugh out of relief. Anita just looked truly terrified, her innocence was a real one and for once she totally blessed her daughter's vulnerability.

"You laugh cause I'm silly?"

That almost angry question awakened Cruella completely from her thoughts and immediately gently grabbed her face into her hands, wiping her tears with her own thumbs.

"You know why I'm laughing? Because _dogs_ are silly! As long as I am here with you, there's no reason to fear them… They won't touch your kitten, I promise"

That speech kinda managed to make Anita smile. "Will you use your super-powers?"

"Yeah... Of course, darling!" Cruella confirmed, hinting a smile of her own. "I will use my super-powers" repeated, letting herself feel that foreign word on her tongue.

 _Super-powers_ : thinking of her manipulation ability in that way almost made her feel like a hero and being her daughter's hero wasn't an awful image after all. With a rare complete display of love, she pulled the girl into a hug and then placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Are you better now?"

The little girl nodded twice.

"So… Can you go to sleep?"

This time she shook her head instead.

"Then, what do you want?" the woman asked, while her usual annoyance started to show.

Anita smirked and for the first time her look betrayed a wicked intent.

"Can I sleep with you and daddy?"

* * *

 **Hello! Thanks to Guest for the prompt! I wasn't supposed to update today (actually tonight for me), so it comes as a surprise! Hope you liked it! **

**The next one will come this weekend and before that I'll promise to update Loving the Devil!:)**


	6. Thus with a kiss I die

**_Thus with a kiss I die_**

 **Prompt: can you write where both Neal and Anita play Romeo and Juliet for their school play ?**

* * *

There was a big ferment at the school that night: after weeks of working hard, the theatre project promoted by Mrs Gold was finally going to have its first performance. A lot of students – proportionally to Storybrooke's inhabitants of course – of different grades had taken part of it; now basically almost the entire town was awaiting for them in the biggest hall of the building, where they had managed to create a sort of stage.

"So, is everybody ready? We are going to start in five mins!" Belle exclaimed, sounding more excited than the actors.

Well, almost. Anita was in fact on the edge of having a heart attack and had actually just finished to breathe into a paper bag as a way to defeat anxiety. " _How now? Who calls?"_ : those two questions kept echoing in her mind. And then what? Everything else after that first line of her script seemed suddeny to have vanished in thin air.

"Madam, I am here. What is your will?"

She almost jumped at the question and turned around quickly. The sight of Neal Nolan didn't calmed her down much though, and actually almost made her worry grow. With a hand on her chest, she just glared at him confused. "I have no will"

The young man just chuckled amused. "That's your second line, Anita: _Madam, I am here. What is your will?_ "

"Oh right!" she exclaimed, unavoidably blushing all the while. She hated being nervous and she hated Neal Nolan: she was sure that the two things together would have totally been the death of her.

"Chill, little princess. You are going to do great" he replied, daring to take her hand in his one.

Predictably, she immediately took it back, letting out a heavy sigh. One wink from him and one more glare from her, then the curtains opened. The show was starting.

* * *

The Hellers arrived to the school at least half a hour before the beginning of the show and took the best seats. When it started, they started to act like every normal proud parents: Cruella taking photos with her I-phone, while Isaac telling everyone "that's my son" and "that's my daughter" every time Mercutio and Juliet showed up – as if people didn't already know that. The only peculiarity was the book he had in hand, in order to follow every choice of script and comment it from time to time. Actually, it was a miracle that they weren't both sent away.

However, in the final act Mr Heller turned suddenly completely silent, so shocked that he even refused to applaude anymore. In fact, when Romeo said his last sentence: " _Thus with a kiss I die_ ", he actually gave Juliet a long kiss on the lips and seeing that kiss almost made Isaac die as well.

"Who the hell chose to add that actual kiss? The Sleeping beauty?" he protested as soon as the lights were on again, remembering only then the use of speech.

Cruella at his side rolled her eyes. "Oh, com'on, darling… It was a show!"

"I don't care, Cru! Anita is just a little girl… Belle will hear me!"

"She's not a little girl, she's fifteen!" she tried to make him see reason, even if in vain.

"Yeah, fifteen, a little girl _indeed_! And besides I don't like that boy… He could be dangerous for her!"

That time the woman couldn't help but laugh at his face. "Dangerous? For furs' sake, Neal Nolan is the son of Prince Charming and Snow _Fucking_ White!"

However, before that sentence was even over, the man stood up from his seat and quickly headed to the place where the two Charmings were. Cruella rolled her eyes again and immediately followed him. He was about to make a scene and she had to calm him down: a total reversal of roles she wasn't prepared for.

* * *

Anita gave a look behind the curtains and couldn't help but sigh at the sight of their parents walking straight to the Nolans. She was still wearing her costume and she was almost burning in it, but what was the matter about it when the Third World War was about to start? A sudden noise behind her back forced her to look away from the audience and quickly turned around. She was not surprised this time to find Neal though; actually her face showed nothing but a certain anger.

"What the Hell did you have in mind? That kiss wasn't in the script!"

Neal just smirked and without saying a word, took some more steps toward her. Suddenly their bodies were closer than expected and their faces were only inches apart – _again_.

"I told you that I would have been the one to give you your first kiss" he whispered almost in her ear, then looking at her with a twinkle in his green eyes. Eighteen years old Neal was the beauty of the town and the _Charming type_ indeed.

Anita remained for a moment breathless, as embarassment and anger were fighting inside her. A part of her would have liked to say that it wasn't her first kiss at all, but it was actually, and that fact gave her a mix of feelings difficult to hide. But, as her tongue seemed suddenly to abandon her, another impulse was activated and she found herself hitting the young man on the cheek.

"And I told you I would have given you your first _slap_!" she exclaimed, pushing him slightly away from her and starting to walk away.

It was Neal's time to remain breathless now, but as surprise vanished, an unexpected smile appeared on his lips. He would have realized it only some time later, but that was the moment he promised himself that, one day, Anita Heller would have become Anita _Nolan_.

* * *

 **Thanks to DeadlyRose70 for the prompt! I hope you all liked a bit of Isaac!jealousdaddy and some Anita/Neal (I personally ship them a lot!). **

**See you soon and as always send me _all the prompts_ you have in mind!;)**


	7. The taste of ordinary

**_The taste of ordinary_**

 **Prompt:** **Cru getting contacted by her dumb ex who is in jail or something**

* * *

Isaac was back to work and since Cruella's one was yet to begin, that was one of the first days she was left completely alone with the kids. She read them some stories, sort of played with them and then at some point put them to sleep; she thought she was going great, until, getting distracted by feeding Anita, she lost sight of Fitzgerald, only to find him some seconds later laying on the carpet with her I-phone in his little hands. With a curious expression he was staring at the magical box, even attempting to say some words to the still unkown interlocutor.

"Fitz! How many times have I told not to touch my phone?" she reproached him, reaching him immediately and taking back the object. "Hello?" she said then with still a hint of annoyance in the voice, expecting to hear one of her friends on the other side.

But the voice that answered her was totally unexpected and instantly freezed her.

" _Oh, Cruella! For a moment I thought the number was wrong or something… Who was that little brat, by the way?"_

"Lars" she said, as a simple recognition of her ex husband. "That was my son" she added then after some moments, with a strange hint of pride that even surprised herself.

An ironic and annoying chuckle followed. _"Your son? Wow, I never thought you would have waited for me to leave jail, but this is too much"_

"Speaking of which, why are you free now, darling?"

" _Good behaviour, of course."_ He paused for a short while and she could almost see him smiling. _"And before you ask, I'm already back into my business and…"_

"I wasn't going to" she interrupted harshly, but yet less harshly than she intended. "What do you want from me?"

" _Ah, we are impatient, Cruella, aren't we?"_ Another chuckle. " _Well, I just want you back and the offer still stands despite the changes in your life… We can still create an Empire together you know?"_

"Maybe I'm not interested anymore" she replied, but not immediately as she should have.

He noted that particular and let out an umpteenth chuckle. _"Oh com'on, you never were an ordinary person… And defintely a not mother material one"_

Those words annoyed her, but only because they were true after all. Who was she kidding? Despite her attempts and little improvements, she still hadn't changed completely, she still wanted power and she still was a really terrible person. Almost fifteen years of life spent with Lars Feinberg came suddenly into her mind as a flash: no love and not even physical attraction, but surely a lot of money and success. They had met at a show of paintings, where he introduced himself as an artist that actually had no talent at all, despite a strange passion for black and white; however, besides being an unsuccessful painter, he was also a successful businessman, so she agreed to marry him with the promise of being something different than ordinary. And now, with that proposal, that flattering promise was back again.

So she hesitated; instinctively, unavoidably and perhaps even unwillingly, she hesitated. Until suddenly, she felt the little baby slightly move in her arms and, almost at the same time, her son pulling her skirt to attract her attention. Both the children succeeded in that and, as soon as Cruella emerged from her reverie, she immediately hang up the phone, without even saying goodbye.

"Mommy, who was the man?" the two years old child asked, looking up at her still with that curiosity shining in his eyes.

"No one, little puppy" she replied, quickly attempting a smile. "Just someone mommy used to know"

With that simple but yet meaningful answer, she bent a little to take her son's little hand and then sat along with her children on the sofa. She would have always wanted power and wealth, but maybe that kind of life wasn't for her anymore; she wasn't completely changed yet, but she still would have kept trying. And that day she tried harder. She tried to be more loving with baby Anita, she told Fitzgerald his favourite story three times and even attempted to cook Isaac's favourite dish.

"What happened?" her husband asked when he came back home, not hiding his astonishment. And he didn't know if it was more for the surprise itself or because the house wasn't actually burnt.

But Cruella just put a finger on his lips, hinting him to the – finally – asleep children and then, without answering, just kissed him full on the mouth.

Cooking dinner, a loving husband, children: it was all so _ordinary_. But even though she had still to learn how to get used to it, it was a taste that she didn't find so disgusting anymore.

* * *

 **Thanks so much to DevilDahling for the prompt!:) See you in the weekend with the new chapter and thanks to everyone for the support!:)**


	8. Going home

**_Going home_**

 **Prompt: Something where cru is incredibly wasted, before the kids**

 **Note: Missing moment between chapter 4 and 5 of "Loving the Devil".**

* * *

At first it was just a night out with Ursula and Maleficent, but when the two women had left too soon, for Cruella the real fun started. And perhaps many underestimates how much fun can be the only company of three shots of gin – or maybe four, or maybe five. However, after five she started loosing count. Without doing anything, apart from drinking and drinking straight in front of the counter, she was at the centre of attention: the young shewolf and doctor Whale – probably on a date - dared some jokes at her, one or two dwarves seemed to be ready to put up a fight and a strange unknown man offered to buy her a drink. She accepted it, but denied the company. Suddenly, she didn't remember how, the club started to empty, until it was only her staring at one of her many glasses and singing an unlikely _Yellow Submarine_ under her breath.

"Madame, is there someone I can call?"

Suddenly interrupting her singing, she laughed at the face of the bartender who had just asked that silly question. "Yes… _Pongo_!" she exclaimed, after a short pause, starting then to laugh again.

Before the young man could have a sort of reaction to that not so successful joke, he was stopped by the sight of another person, as soon as Cruella felt a hand behind her back. Alarmed by that touch, she quickly turned around and it was a bad move, because she almost fell from her stool. But luckily for her, the new arrival caught her right in time.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she almost barked, holding onto the counter to regain balance.

Isaac helped her and, only after taking a seat beside her, decided to finally speak. "Ursula called me."

Cruella rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Yeah, of course… That _sea bitch_!"

"She's worried about you. And so am I" he replied in a serious tone, that totally matched the meaning of the words. "You have to stop drinking this much and start a life here in Storybrooke…"

She just let out a surprised and amused laugh. What was he thinking? Just because they slept together almost every night, he had no right to tell her what to do. He was nothing to her… Or at least he definetly was not her _nanny_.

Shaking her head, she slightly moved her face to his one. "You're not my mother, darling" she whispered ironically.

"No, I'm not. Luckily for me" he quickly replied, with his own irony. Then, he gently but firmly grabbed her wrist with the main intent of getting her complete attention. "Com'on, Cru… I'll take you home"

But that just managed to make her laugh once again. "Home? I don't have a home, darling… And I don't want to go to Granny's!"

The author sighed heavily and suddenly let go of her. She looked like a little child and actually the alcohol was making her even more irritable. Without saying a word, he just pulled out something from his pocket and then passed it to her; after some vain attempts, she finally managed to take it and realize that what seemed like three different object was indeed just one. The touch also helped her to figure out what it was: a key.

"I just got the house from Gold… I have a home to go now and it can be yours too, if you want" he explained, this time with a softer voice.

Cruella took some seconds to actually understand, but when she did, she immediately widened her eyes and felt a strange urge to _throw up_. She couldn't say if it was the abuse of gin though; it was a whole different kind of nausea after all: the one for feelings, commitment, dependance to other people. They had talked about the house more than once, but she had done that always in abstract and never with the idea of an actual cohabitation. But now, holding the key in her hand and maybe thanks to her altered state of mind, she was getting everything she had tried to ignore: that proposal meant living together, it meant a serious relationship and somehow letting him win. She felt bad at the perspective and so, now, she really had to throw up.

But still it was better than coming back to Granny's; still it was better than _blaming bad judgement and gin._

"You don't have to decide anything at the moment…" he started to say, when after some minutes she still hadn't said anything.

But she interrupted him though, and with the most unexpected question.

"Is there a bathroom in this house, right darling? Because I- I have to throw up"

He looked surprised and couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh yes, of course! There are two, actually"

"Alright… Let's go there _for tonight_ , then…" she just agreed then, trying to stand up.

Isaac quickly offered his help and, after leaving some cash to the counter, gently led her out the Rabbit Hole. She didn't protest when he let her sit on the passenger side and even allowed him to fasten the belt for her; when they reached the house, she didn't throw up but just fell immediately asleep until the morning after. They never talked about the proposal of living together again, but there was no need, because she never left and that _for tonight_ turned out to be a _for ever_.

She never said if it was because she liked the house or the _home_ , though.

* * *

 **Thanks to DeVilDahling for the prompt! I used it to explain a sort of plot hole in "Loving the Devil": how exactly Isaac and Cru ended up living together. I don't think she would have simply agreed, so it is my idea. Hope you liked it! More oneshots are coming soon;)**


	9. Four days apart

**_Four days apart_**

 **Prompt: "'I've missed you" kiss**

* * *

For her seventh birthday since she was with Isaac, Cruella had received the best gift ever: two tickets for the closest concert of her idol, the infamous Marlyin Manson. It took just a quick phone call to Lily and she started that same night to prepare her suitcase. It was known that fans always chose a sort of particular outfits to go there, but with furs, leather clothes, marked make-up and the two-coloured hair, she didn't have to put much effort to be extravagant.

Two weeks later, the two women were already into their road-trip to New York City; they could have travelled by airplane, of course, but Cruella's car was probably bound to be more fast and surely more fun. While she spent some minutes hugging their children, she didn't do more than a quick kiss as a goodbye to Isaac, even though she quickly found herself regretting it somehow. She was happy to have a short escape for her now ordinary life and he was happy for her – he had been the one to give her that gift after all; however, those four days were actually the longest time they had been separated and they missed each other terribly. _She missed him terribly_. Of course, she called home the strict necessary and mocked Lily every time she talked about her husband August too much, but deep down she knew that it was only to keep the appearances.

And during the way back home - after the concert, the drunk nights and the small taste of careless freedom – the appaearances started to suddenly fall.

Cruella's drive was even faster than the usual, she was unusually silent and when they reached Storybrooke she unawarily clapped her gloves hands with a silly smile. The plan was to drop her friend home, but they passed by her own house first and, as it came into their view, she stopped the car abruptly.

"Go on, Cru… I can go home _on foot_ , _alone_ in this _late_ hour, carrying my suitcase for _ten minutes_ …" Lily joked, a bit confused by that move. She was happy to see Cruella so emotional, but actually she really wanted to go home. The older woman failed to catch the irony though, and, as in a sort of trance state, she jumped out the car and almost ran through the garden, ignoring completely Lily's attempts to call her back.

But yet, when after ringing the bell several times, she found Isaac in front of her in the flesh, all her thrilling mood seemed to immediately vanish and all she did was nodding at him and pushing him aside to enter.

"The children?" she simply asked, starting to look around, but in vain.

"Upstairs, sleeping. If you haven't woken them up of course" he replied a bit ironically, referring to her choice of not using the keys. But actually on his face there was a soft smile: the house had been too quiet without her.

She rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed by that subtle accusation, but didn't say anything in return. Oddly as it seems, she felt strangely awkward in that moment, as an unknown filter of her mind was preventing her from literally throwing herself into his arms. But luckily for her, he had no such filters and with a quick unexpected move took her by the waist, attracting her to him. Before she could say anything, he kissed her on the lips. It was a slow and yet passionate kiss, which seemed to express a distance of four hundreds years instead of four days and which lasted long enough to leave her breathless.

With a pleasantly surprised expression, she let out a chuckle as soon as their lips parted and, before she could even stopped herself, the words escaped her mouth.

" _I've missed you too, darling."_

* * *

 **This was a prompt given for a challenge on Tumblr. It's a bit short, but I'll try to update a new one-shot tomorrow;)**


	10. Good morning kiss

_**Good morning kiss**_

 **Prompt: "Good morning" kiss**

* * *

Cruella turned slowly her head to the night stand and gave a look at the alarm clock. As soon as she saw the time written on it, her still half asleep eyes opened wide and, grumbling, she quickly get out of bed. It was only twenty minutes later than what she would have liked, but yet it was enough to make her FEEL annoyed. In her peculiar furry night gown, with messy hair and a tired look on the face, she headed downstairs and reached in a matter of seconds the kitchen. As predicted, here he was already dressed and ready for work.

"You should have woken me up, darling. You know, I have to work…" she started, casting him a sleepy but yet incisive glare.

Isaac immediately looked up from his phone and greeted her with a sweet smile. Probably her irritated attitude was exactly what made him always soften in the first place. "Yes, I should. But considering what happened tonight, I thought you would have liked to sleep in a little more" he replied then, while the smile suddenly turn into a mischievous one.

Still walking toward him, she shook her head, but her expression gained a playful hint as well. "Well, if I do remember correctly, after last night _you_ should be the tired one…" And with a sort of fake innocent look, she stopped at few inches from his lips.

He was the one to close the distance between them and to place a passionate kiss on her lips – probably as a continuation of their _white night_ together. However, despite the initial immediate agreement, she suddenly broke the contact with what seemed like a disgusted face.

"What's wrong?"

"You've _already_ drunk coffee" she just stated with a new glare. And it turned out that she was not disgusted, but rather disappointed. It wasn't difficult for her to find reasons to get angry and, unluckily for him, she had just found a new one.

But, contrary to any expectations, he smirked and just pointed at a half full thermos bottle behind his back. "I've prepared some coffee for you too. And…" – this time he hinted at a small box on the table – "…I've passed to Granny's to take something for breakfast for you and the kids"

Cruella now looked pleasantly surprised and quickly reached the box. It took only one look inside it for her to understand that it was not just some casual something: Anita's favorite coconut and banana muffin, Fitzgerald's favorite apricot jam brioche and her own favorite dark&white chocolate donut. Her face lit up and, already eating the donut with her eyes, she even clapped her hands in enthusiasm.

"Well, I'm going now… See you tonight, Cru" he said in the meanwhile, quite happy to leave the scene seeing her in that unusually happy morning mood.

She was intended to give him even more than that, though. In fact, turning quickly around, she grabbed one of his arms to keep him in place and, before he could give voice to his confusion, she placed an unexpected soft kiss on his lips. "Have a nice day, darling" she wished with a sincere smile, which he didn't hesitate much to return.

Some seconds later he was already out of the house anyway. Left alone, she grabbed the thermos to finally have her dose of coffee, but before pouring into her cup she changed her mind. The clock on the wall marked 7:30 and actually more than late it suddenly seemed too _early_. After all, the children would have slept for at least another half hour more and she still had a whole day to finish the dresses she was currently making. So, delaying the tempting moment of breakfast, she headed back to bed, making do with that kiss as taste of coffee, at least for the moment.

Basically, she chose to take that _good morning_ kiss she gave to him, as a _goodnight_ kiss to herself.

* * *

 **Here it is another prompt from the same challenge on Tumblr, but I'm writing also the ones I've received here;) As soon as you're interested and I have prompts/ideas I'll keep writing this collection:) I promise to update tomorrow;)**


	11. Just a routine surgery

**_Just a routine surgery_**

 **Prompt: one of the children becomes very sick and Cru & Isaac are beside themselves with worry.**

* * *

Cruella De Vil used to be immune to emotion, but Cruella _Heller_ sadly didn't have that prerogative. In a matter of few years she had discovered love, fear, worry and guilt and now, sitting in the waiting room with a vacant look in her blue eyes, she was experimenting the dangerous combination of them all. Her five years old son was having a surgery since at least a hour and, despite doctor Whale's reassurances, she was unwillingly on the edge of crying. She could feel her love for Fitzgerald hurting her, she was afraid to loose him and almost exploding of worry, but most of all she was guilty for all the times she had failed at loving him. Her hands unwillingly joined together and she probably would have gone as far as saying a prayer - if she were the religious sort of course.

"Will you please shut the hell up?" she hissed instead, turning slowly her head to her right.

After pacing almost all the time back and forth the room, Isaac was now sitting beside her and since then he hadn't stopped talking. He always did when he was nervous; he was probably worried the same that she was, but he was just more good at showing it.

"I'm sorry" he uttered after some seconds of surprised silence. "But what I'm saying it's true, it's a simple surgery and he will be soon out and…"

"You're doing it again" she cut him off, casting him a nasty glare.

He nodded and this time finally fell silent for more than a minute, apart from some impatient puffs. It was never known how long he could have resisted, because the silence was broken again, but this time it was Cruella the one to speak up.

"Do you know what I think, darling? I just have a bad feeling…"

"Com'on, Cru! It's a _just routine surgery_!" he replied immediately with too much convinction. It wasn't clear if she was trying to calm her or himself though. However, she wasn't fooled not even for a second.

"Really? We live in a small town, how many appendectomies do you think have been performed? Here it is not a _routine_ surgery at all!"

"But Doctor Whale knows what he's doing… He healed Geppetto's stroke last year and fixed Neal Nolan's broken arm only a week ago. He can do everything" he tried to object, showing his apparent total trust into the man.

"That's exactly the point!" she almost yelled though, against any predictions, making some heads turn to them. "Don't you see? He could easily mistake the appendix for a lung… And what about his past? He used to cut different parts from different bodies, so what if he needs our son's leg for example?" A tragic thought was leading to another and if she were exagerrating, she actually wasn't aware of it.

Isaac looked at her like she had grown a third head. Despite he himself had some trusty issues with doctor Whale, he didn't believe the slightest thing about the apocalitycal scenario she had just described. Therefore he just shook his head, while he couldn't help the ironic smile forming on his lips. "You're worried and I get it, but maybe you are worrying too much" he pointed out, trying to make her see reason.

But actually the fact was she didn't want to. Usually, he was the one to freak out every time one of the children caught a simple flu or accidentally fell, and she the one to play down everything. So, now she just couldn't stand his attempts to calm her: she didn't want to be calmed down, because actually she didn't want to freak out in the first place. Instead she was and blaming him for that was the easiest way.

"Maybe the problem is not me worrying too much, but you not worrying enough!" she snapped, not even realizing to have crossed the line. It was the anger to speak and it was speaking nonsense.

Isaac widened his eyes and the expression on his face quickly passed from astonishment to hurt and finally faded into anger. Full of that last emotion, he suddenly stood up and placed himself in front of her. "Are you really implying that _I_ do not care about my children?"

It wasn't fair, she knew that, and when she looked up at him she also knew which kind of thoughts passed through his mind. " _You are the one not caring most of the times_ ": that was the subtle sentence, a sentence she didn't want to hear and he didn't want to say. So, as soon as he had stood up, he sat down again, giving up the possible fight. He loved her too much to hurt her and in that moment she _kinda_ loved him for that.

They remained silent – this time fully silent – for some minutes, until Cruella slowly took his hand as a silent request of peace. She even tried to mumble something, but before she could have found a way to say she was sorry without actually saying it, the doctor showed up to them with an exhausted but satisfied smile.

"Has everything gone well?" Isaac asked apprehensively, immediately standing up.

Victor nodded twice. "I would say perfectly. You can soon see the little Fitzgerald."

Both the parents released a breath they didn't know were holding and, almost unwillingly, exchanged a look of complicit happiness. Cruella stood up as well and quick as a thunder reached the doctor and touched his arm to thank him. "Oh doctor Whale, I was just telling Isaac that our little puppy was in extremely good hands with you… Haven't I darling?" she added, winking mischevously toward her husband.

He didn't have the time to answer because the doctor had already started to lead her to what probably was Fitzgerald's room, while he was left behind for a short while. An unexpected laugh escaped his lips out of the blue, and it was louder than the usual oddness of his wife caused him. Perhaps it was _relief_ to make that laugh a really good one.

* * *

 **Thanks to Guest for this prompt! I had a very difficult day so I didn't write anything, but luckily I had this one ready. I don't know why, but it is probably the oneshot I'm more satisfied about. I hope you liked it as well!:) See you soon, I have so many prompts to write!:)**


	12. If you wanna be my lover

**_If you wanna be my lover…_**

 **Prompt: Giggly kiss.**

 **Notes: Set in the first period of the Authella relationship. So, let's say somewhere between chapter 4 and 5.**

* * *

Watching her driving from afar and watching her driving from the passenger seat were quite two different things. For example it was more scaring, since the average thought passed from "she could kill someone" to "she could kill _me_ " – despite the fact that she actually _couldn't_ kill anyone. Probably, her friends found that driving thrilling, but despite his attempts at understanding her, Isaac would have never been a queen of darkness and so, scaring was still the perfect adjective, especially for the first times. He even offered her to drive himself or to go on foot, but Cruella just glared at him at the first proposal and laughed in his face at the second one.

"Can you please slow down? There is actually no hurry…" he tried to say and it came out just after the first bend. And they would have been many since it was not the main road.

But if that was an attempt to get her more focused, it didn't work, since she rolled her eyes and then looked completely away from the road in order to cast him the second glare in less than five minutes. "Oh, darling, I remind you that – thanks to you – I'm not able to kill anyone, so just relax!"

"Sure, but I could throw up on your precious red leather upholstery and you don't want that, do you?" he retorted quickly. In a matter of minutes it could have turned into an actual reality, but for now it was just an exaggeration, which could force her to take more care – or at least he hoped so.

"Wow, you are becoming almost… _Sassy_!" she just pointed out instead, flashing a sort of proud smile.

And she was still looking at him and still pushing the gas pedal like there was no tomorrow.

"Look, darling" she spoke up again after some seconds and this time her attention was focused on the radio. "Now we listen to some music and you free your mind, okay?"

Isaac was going to say that it didn't seem to him like a good idea, but it was actually a rethorically question because before he could even utter a single word, a song started to play at the highest volume possible. It's useless to say that she immediately started to sing the words and even to clap her hands at her own rhytm.

"What the Hell is this?" he asked and he had to actually scream to make himself be heard. "And for God's sake, Cruella, put your hands down on the steerwheel!"

"It's _Wannabe_ by the Spice Girls!" she just exclaimed, ignoring his reproach and now even performing a sort of dance with her arms.

Afraid to distract her more, he finally decided to shut up. Maybe it was her strange moves, or the way she sang completely out of tune, or even the words of the song which seemed directed to him, but for a moment he forgot his fear and he actually managed to free him mind – or maybe _freeze_ it. Unluckily for him though, that was the moment when her lack of control proved to be fatal and he realized that late. As soon as he saw the car almost running over Ruby Lucas and doctor Whale walking hand in hand, Isaac grabbed the steerwheel and quickly change the direction. The car stopped at just some centimetres from a tree, leaving them both breathless for a short while: it was late, but luckily not _too_ late.

"Are you insane? I told you to be careful!" he exclaimed as a rush of fear was still running through his system. The only good thing was that the car was now tuned off and so was the music.

But when he turned his face to his right and their eyes met, she just let out an unexpected giggle. And it sounded so careful, pure and actually amused, that he remained breathless for another reason. Slowly, he couldn't help but smile as well and, maybe even before he rationalized it, he was kissing her as if he wanted to taste that giggle.

"It was fun, wasn't it?" she asked in a whisper against his lips.

He lingered on that slight contact for a little longer and then suddenly distanced himself, trying to put up a stern expression. "You almost hit two people, that was no fun at all!"

But somehow, that sort of reproach only made her giggle more.

* * *

 **Another kiss-prompt given on tumblr. I've always wanted to describe one of their first rides together in the car and so now I'm glad I did. Hope that it made you smile a bit as well;) See you soon (I will also update soon Loving The Devil, I promise).**


	13. More than enough

**_More than enough_**

 **Prompt: We haven't seen Cruella saying I love you to Isaac yet and I would love to see that. :)**

 **AND**

 **Prompt (given on Tumblr): Also now that you've done a Regina/Cora/Rumple/dark!Emma/etc. and ripped out some hearts and crushed them, the fanworld could do with some fic in which Cruella tells Isaac she loves him, right?**

* * *

"Don't tell me to calm down, darling! I have every reason to be pissed off!"

Isaac just glared at his wife for some moments, unavoidably shaking his head in disagreement. It was common for her to get angry and for them to argue, but this time the reason behind all that drama was a good thing: Lily and August had in fact just asked them to be godmother and godfather of their second son. It was a honor – so Isaac had kept telling her – but instead Cruella was acting like someone had been killed. Well, maybe in that case she would have been happy.

"I still don't see where is your problem, Cru…" he tried to say in the end.

Cruella stopped pacing back and forth the room and glared at him. "Everything is the problem. Why in Hell did they ask me to do that? I mean, I am zero mother material!"

Isaac raised an eyebrow confused and couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "But you have two children and you are a wonderful mother to them…" he objected, pointing out the obvious care she had for Fitzgerald and Anita.

"Exactly!" she interrupted quickly, as a victorious smile appeared on her lips. "Don't you see? I already have a lot of responsibilities and my tiny dark heart is already full. In time I learnt to love three people more than anything and really, there's no room for anyone else in any sense…"

"I know, but…" his understanding reply abruptly stopped and he suddenly widened his eyes. "Oh, wait! Have you just said _three_ people?"

"Yeah, you and the kids…" she confirmed, as if the most obvious thing in the world.

It was not for him, though; actually for a moment he thought that he had just entered an alternative universe or maybe was having a hallucination. Their oldest son was twelve years old and they had been together for almost fourteen years, but she had never told him those three words, not even once. He did many times, but to his "I love you" he never got back an "I love you too" – at most a bitter smile or a sort of an awkward "thank you".

" _Me_? Have you just implied that _you love me_?" he asked again, more specifically, when he managed to recover himself - at least enough to speak.

Cruella widened her eyes for a moment as well, but then just shrugged. She didn't see the situation that way; the actual words were overestimated in her opinion and even quite meaningless after all. "I want you", "I care for you", "I need you": they all meant the same thing – except that that same thing meant a _positive emotional_ thing, anyway. Because her little family – including Isaac, of course - was literally the whole world for her now, but actually she had never made it a mistery.

"I accepted to marry you, I started a family with you and I let you change me: _of course I love you_ , darling!" she exclaimed, flashing a sincere and yet bitter smile. However, she looked soon down and started to walk away. "That's completely irrelevant, anyway…"

But Isaac was quick to gently but firmly grab her wrist, keeping her in place. " _Irrelevant_?" he echoed her in the meanwhile. "You love me, Cruella. How can this be irrelevant?"

She sighed softly and instictively looked down again to avoid eye contact. She didn't want to see his hope for that little accidental revelation of hers, because deep down she knew that he deserved more: he deserved real love, constant displays of affection and an "I love you too" everyday. He deserved more, more than she could have ever given to him. Instead there she was, unable to love for almost all her life and still unsure about how to do that – still learning, still trying, still failing.

"Because it will never be enough and you know what, it is your fault!" she snapped, preferring anyway anger toward him than pity toward herself. "You love me since… for ever! And you keep loving me everyday even with all my so many flaws. I swear, each time you say you love me it kills me, because I know that what I feel for you will never be enough compared to your love. So, my "I love you" will always be irrelevant…"

She probably wasn't aware of that, but her voice had slowly gone softer and her eyes were almost glimmered of unexpressed tears. It all seemed a desperate confession more than an attempt to argue. Therefore, Isaac just let go of her wrist and instead softly took her face into both his hands, forcing her to look at him in the eyes. His ones were unavoidably full of tears as well.

"Oh, my love, it is _more than enough_ actually. All I ever wanted in my life was this moment and I… I never thought you would have really said those words…" he replied with a clearly happy smile, before placing a light kiss on her lips.

As soon as they parted, Cruella forced herself to roll her eyes as a way to regain her usual attitude and maybe hide how much that reply had affected her. However, a smirk still appeared on her face."Always the sentimental, darling, aren't you?"

Isaac chuckled at the tease, but didn't convert himself to irony. "I love you too" he whispered in fact, with a serious tone.

Cruella sighed dramatically, pretending to be annoyed, but after some instants she was the one to start a second more passionate kiss. Despite the appearance, for once his I love you didn't make her feel uncomfortable at all.

* * *

 **Thanks to CruelQueen for this prompt! Yes, Cruella has finally told Isaac that she loves him. Not fluffy enough? Or too much fluff? I don't know, but I can see her only telling him by accident. I hope this happy thing can fix the damage I've caused in the last "Loving the Devil" chapter LoL **

**By the way, I'm informing you that I won't update any Authella fics for the next week, because August 1-8 will be SeaDevil week and I'm preparing for it;) But I will come back soon with new things;)**


	14. The perfect gift

_**The perfect gift**_

 **Prompt: Mother's Day & her young children make her something special**

Between Anita's nightmares and her own insomnia, it had taken a while for Cruella to fall asleep the previous night; that was basically the reason why now she wanted to sleep in. Well, actually she _always_ wanted to sleep in, but on that particular morning more than usual. Therefore, when suddenly her bed started to shake and she felt a little hand tapping her shoulder, her first instict was to try to escape that bothersome touch and mumble some sort of curse.

"Mommy! You have to wake up!" the little girl exclaimed anyway and, ignoring her mother's evident annoyance, continued to tap her shoulder. Even using both the hands now.

How that child could have such a happy mood at such an early hour was a mistery to the woman, but at that moment she felt only glad of the fact she couldn't kill anymore. "Anitaaa! Let me sleep, my diamond, please!"

And then, she immediately turned around; however, unluckily for her, that proved to be a bad move. In fact, the problem was not avoided at all, as another little someone was standing on the other side of the bed. She only realized the presence when she perceived a strong and familiar smell of flowers, though, and she was forced to finally open her eyes. After she blinked twice in order to adjust her sight to the light, the complete view of her son with a bunch of bluebells appeared in front of her. Unexpectedly, she found herself smiling and slowly sitting up.

"Woow, my darlings! What do I owe this surprise to?" she asked, moving her eyes from one child to the other, with a curious expression on the face.

The kids exchanged a knowing look and remained silent for a while, until suddenly Anita bursted into a laugh. "It's Mother's Day, of course! How can you forget?!" she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, right right…" Cruella nodded, sounding suddenly a bit uncomfortable. After eight years of drawings, mugs and good mornings like that, she hadn't got used to that celebration yet – or maybe it was the idea of being so much loved to be difficult to accept. "The flowers are beautiful and these ones are my favourite! Who told you?" she asked then, taking the bluebells in her hands and smelling them a bit.

"Dad took us to buy to Nicky's grandfather…" Fitzgerald predictably replied. "Now he is downstairs, preparing breakfast for you…"he added then lowering remarkably his voice, as if he was revealing a secret of State.

"Really? Well I do expect him to also bring it here at bed!"

"He will. He always does every weekend anyway… because he loves you" Anita easily pointed out with a sweet smile, making her mother feel warmed. But also very _uncomfortable_ again.

Before she could say anything, it was the boy the one to intervene. "And since _you_ do love him, sis, why don't you go and help him?"

Fitzgerald's question was supposed to be just a sort of tease but, after some moments of hesitation, the little girl actually agreed to that idea. After placing a quick kiss on the woman's cheek, she literally jumped out of bed and in a matter of seconds she was out of the room. However, when mother and son remained alone, it became clear that the boy's words to his sister were more than just an actual joke, but a part of a precise plan indeed. In fact, he quickly grabbed a small bag he had hid behind the night stand and handed it to her."This is one more present I wanted to give you…"

Cruella frowned in surprise, but as soon as she opened the bag and gave a look at the content, her eyebrows laid out again as her eyes widened. "A bottle of gin? Did Isaac really take you to buy this?"

The boy shook his head immediately, not feeling less shocked than her mother at that guess. "Of course not! I used some money in my moneybox and went with Neal to the store. I told the dwarf it was for you and he believed it… So he sold me the gin!"

"Of course he did believe you" she echoed him with an ironic smirk, thinking about the bad reputation she still had after all those years.

Fitzgerald, however, misunderstood that reaction and for a moment his face grew sad and disappointed. "Are you not happy, mom?" he asked a bit uncertainly now.

But Cruella was quick to put up a smile and, after putting carefully the bottle of gin down, she extended her arm to him. "Yes, I am very happy! This is one of the most beautiful – and _useful_ – gift I've ever received! Thank you, my little puppy!" she exclaimed hugging him and then placing a kiss on his forehead.

In spite of the reproach any other person would have made, she was able to see in that bottle of gin a touching proof of love. And that one was a display of affection that didn't make her feel uncomfortable at all. Actually, holding her son in that moment, she didn't feel just happy but also strangely _proud_. And after all, could there be a better gift to celebrate Mother's Day than that feeling?


	15. A surprise for Isaac

_**A surprise for Isaac**_

 **Prompt: Father's Day, and Cru & kids do something special for Isaac.**

* * *

"Can I remove this? Seriously, I'm getting scared"

"Oh, shut up, darling! It's not like I could kill you!"

"Well, mommy can't… But who knows,maybe I could be the one to pull the trigger…" – a short laugh.

"Fitz!" – a heavy sigh – "Daddy, don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you!"

"I know, my angel… Unless these two won't kill you too!"

A short silence followed that last ironic exclamation, but it was enough to make Isaac actually think of the worst. With his eyes covered by a black blind fold, he couldn't see anything around him and was basically forced to follow his faimily's lead. His nostrils were telling him the presence of some trees, his feet that there were some rocks on his way and he could hear the singing of the birds: he could guess he was in the woods, but there was any chance he could find out exactly where. So, unaware of where he was or where he was going to, the only thing he knew for sure was that it had been all Cruella's idea. And no, that thought wasn't making him feel comfortable at all.

However, after just a few minutes more, he was told to stop and before he could start to prepare himself for a likely brutal execution, his blind fold was removed, only to reveal something a lot better than death. Right in front of him, a red cloth was placed on the ground and on it there was a bag full of food, which Cruella was starting to pull out right in that moment.

"Surprise!" the three exclaimed in the meanwhile, all of them with a sort of proud smile on the face.

And he really was surprised indeed. It was just a simple picnic of course, but it was still more than he had expected for the day; it was the very idea of his family working together to do something for him that was leaving him speechless.

"Did you do all of this for me?" he managed to ask anyway, still staring at the cloth who was now being more and more filled with things.

"Yes! Even if it was mom to do these sandwiches, so I can't guarantee for them…" Fitzgerald replied a bit ironically, while taking right one of the just mentioned sanwiches.

That proved to be a bad move, though, because his mother immediately took it back from him with a nasty glare. "I guess someone will be starving today…"

"But mommy! I was just joking! Please!" he begged quickly, trying in vain to reach for another sandwich.

"Well I was not!" Cruella replied. She was smirking clearly amused, but didn't give up anyway – not yet at least - and on the contrary hid the whole plate behind her back.

Still standing up at some steps from the scene, Isaac followed the little argument with a smile on his face. But that distraction didn't let him notice her daughter, who had approached him in the meanwhile and started to pull his arm to call for his attention.

"Hey, Anita, what's up?" he asked, soon bending down on his knees, only then noticing the little card in her hands. "What i sit?"

"A poem I've written for you" she replied after some moments, not hiding a shy smile.

Isaac raised his eyebrows in front of that another unexpected surprise and, smiling back at her, didn't wait too much before taking the paper and starting to read it.

 _ **This is a very special day**_

 _ **And I wanna celebrate it in the right way**_

 _ **So a poem I wrote**_

 _ **Short but full of love**_

 _ **I don't need many words**_

 _ **Just ten**_

 _ **Like the fingers on my hands**_

 _ **My-daddy-is-the-best-one-of-all-the-magical-worlds**_

When he looked up again from the paper, there were unavoidable tears in his eyes, as he was left speechless for the second time in about five minutes.

"I'm sorry for the meter… And the rhymes are not well done" the little girl started to say, but Isaac was quick to interrupt her. He loved every single word of that work and besides, it was even too much that at seven years old she knew what meter meant!

"It's perfect, my angel. T.S. Eliot couldn't have done better" he said, whispering the last part of his sentence as if he were revealing a secret of State.

Anita grinned and suddenly threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much, daddy. Happy Father's Day!"

"I love you too…" he replied automatically, but that was exactly the moment when he risked to cry the most.

After some seconds of hesitation, he hugged her back and then just let her go. Standing up slowly, he took some moments for himself before reaching the rest of his family on the grass. It was like hearing those words started an _epiphany_ in his mind, and watching the scene was making it even more real. He loved his children and his wife so dearly, but he was becoming aware now more than ever of how much that love was difficult; Cruella wasn't in fact he kind of woman to let her feelings – if she had any – show, and sadly his firstborn had taken much from her about this fact.

"Hey, darling. Don't stand there like an idiot or I won't make another suprise for you ever again!"

It took Cruella's sort of threat to shake him from his thoughts, even if he was still very immersed in them afterwards. Shaking his head slightly, he started to move and finally sat down as well on the cloth.

"Is everything okay?" she asked a bit confused, as soon as he was beside her. And Fitzgerald took advantage of that moment to finally take his sandwich.

Isaac turned his head to her and, in front of her almost worried look, just nodded with a hinted smile. "Yes, everything is just perfect" he answered, placing a soft kiss on her forhead.

 _He chose not to tell her his sad realization: after all those years in the world, Anita was still the only person who had ever told him to love him._

* * *

 **Thanks to Guest for this prompt and the previous one. I hope you liked "Father's day" as well, even if I couldn't help the little bitterness in the end...**


	16. Turning green

_**Turning green**_

 **Prompt: Jealous kiss.**

* * *

In spite of her children' obvious happiness, Cruella Heller hated the annual dinners for students and parents organized by Storybrooke's school. There was free food and free alcohol, sure, but not even those two precious elements could set off against certain boredome. That one year in particular, Isaac had had to literally carry her to the party, since the last minute absence of the Golds had almost convinced her to stay home as well.

But yet, now here she was: sitting between a cheerful Regina and a nervous Ariel, while drinking her second glass of wine already. As for him, in spite of the fact he didn't get along with most of the presents, he seemed to have a good time right on the other side of the room. _Too much good time_ , for Cruella's tastes actually. His interlocutor was in fact Zelena Mills and they were both smiling and drinking together as if they were good friends – or two teenagers at a first date.

"…And so I told Eric that it was a good idea... What do you think?"

Ariel's question managed to make Cruella look away from the dangerous couple, but just the time for a glare and an annoyed sigh. Actually she hadn't caught a word of the "good idea" the redhead was referring to, but she felt like, if that idiot of Prince Eric was involved, it wasn't bound to be something good at all.

"I just think that Regina gave you back your voice too early, darling…"

With that blunt answer, Cruella emptied in one single gulp her own glass and then suddenly stood up, starting to walk like a fury. She only had one aim in her mind and, making unpolitely her way through the small crowd, she reached it soon. As predicted, her presence stopped the conversation between her husband and the witch, but she wasn't there for talking. Instead, she suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and attracted him to herself, choosing to reply to his greeting with an unexpected hot kiss on the mouth. He kissed her back immediately, but his surprise was written all over his face when they eventually separated.

"What was it for?" he whispered against her lips, giving a sort of awkward look to the other woman.

But Cruella was staring at her too and her stare was actually an unfriendly glare. "Just remembering what's mine. Can't I do that?"

The answer to him seemed actually a threat to the other woman. She wasn't liking at all the sudden closeness between the two and she just wanted to make things clear. She didn't have to push the situation more than that though, because Zelena didn't hesitate too much before leaving with a trace of anger in her face. And that trace was exactly what made Cruella smile and, most of all, what made Isaac realize what was really happening.

"Wait a moment…" he started to say, moving his eyes from the leaving woman back to his wife. "Don't tell me you were jealous!" It was his turn to smile now, but it was hard to say if he was more amused by the strange idea or actually flattered.

"Don't be silly, darling" she just replied, rolling her eyes and taking some steps back.

However, that nervous behavior only confirmed the suspects and Isaac's smile only widened, fading more into satisfaction now. He was quick to close their distance again and then, he gently took her by the arms to force her to stay close.

"Well, someone was _turning green_ there and trust me, it was not her" he joked, eloquently raising his eyebrows. As he started to caress her back, his face grew more serious and understanding though. "Cru, seriously, we were just talking. How can you even doubt that? I have already all that I ever wanted…"

She rolled her eyes again – partly because of the clear insinuation, partly because of that tender lecture – and looked away for a moment, feeling a bit ashamed. She was jealous, there was no way to deny it; she knew she was acting like a child but she just couldn't help it. He was hers, he loved her and worshipped her: those were the only things she actually was certain of in her life and, just like she said maybe superficially many years before, she just didn't want to see him walking away with any other lucky girl. So, suddenly, as soon as she looked back at him, she took him by surprise with a new kiss.

A kiss that tasted of passion, anger, annoyance and – most of all – _jealousy_.

"Well, I hope that's true, darling…" she whispered then in his ear. "Or otherwise, you'll both see me _turning red..._ "

* * *

 **Hey! I'm sorry for the absence, I've been a bit busy and also a bit questioning about my writing. Anyway, I hope you liked this one. Also, I want to take the chance to thank the guest reviews (since I can't answer to them): they really make me happy and I'm working on the prompts I've received!**

 **As last thing, I want to inform that I've posted "Loving the Devil" last chapter, so now I can focus more on this collection.**

 **See you soon!:D**


	17. A day with mommy

_**A day with mommy**_

 **Prompt:** **A "Mommy & Me" day with young Anita (5-10 years old). Maybe like getting hair done, nails, stuff like that. Watching Cruella put on her make-up & showing Anita how to use it. "Girlie-stuff". I dunno, it just sounds fun :)**

* * *

When Lily announced that she and her family would have been out of town for some days, Cruella immediately volunteered to check her new saloon. She didn't just want to try freely all the professional products in it, though; since the first moment of that proposal she had another idea in mind: dragging Anita along and introducing her to the wonderful world of make-up. In fact, in her opinion, one of the few pros of having a daughter was to share all the "girlie stuff" and she thought that seven years old were enough to give it a start. The little girl never seemed much interested, actually, but the woman was determined to influence her anyway; besides, it could have also been a chance to spend some time together and find things in common. So here they were, in front of one big mirror with many accessories – most of which unknown by Anita.

"So, my darling, you take it this way and then slowly let it roll on your eyelashes… It's not difficult, see?" Cruella started to explain, while putting on some mascara.

But a single quick look through the mirror revealed that her daughter's attention was the same she had showed some minutes before about lipsticks and eyeshadows: _none_. The girl was in fact sitting on a puff, reading one old magazine she had found somewhere and not even caring to look up from it. She looked bored and that was exactly what made Cruella feel really annoyed. That's why she suddenly turned around and, still with the opened mascara in one hand, approached the girl with the precise aim to steal that magazine.

"Oh, really Anita? You have to read even _here_?" she almost yelled, after a new vain attempt. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm down then and her new look seemed actually more frustrated than angry. "I just wanted to spend a day with you. Is it really possible that you don't like at all any of these things? Why did you have to take so much after your father?!"

Anita remained silent for a while, not daring to look up. She wasn't new to her mother's outbursts, but seeing her pain was something she probably would have never got used to. Therefore, despite her total dislike for the activities her mother was proposing, she suddenly threw away the magazine and stood up. She hadn't understood anything of what had been said so far, but she had noticed something and, as she started to slowly approach the mirror, she hoped that that something could have been enough.

"You open your mouth while you put that thing on your eyes…"

Cruella raised an eyebrow and for a moment looked really confused. "Well, everyone open their mouth without noticing, it's kinda of a reflex, I guess… You would do too, trust me"

A twinkle flashed in the girl's eyes, as she unexpectedly took the mascara from her mother's hand. Maybe the woman should have remembered before that, if she wanted to make her do something, she should have just showed it as a challenge. Without saying anything, Anita started in fact to apply the make-up and, to her own satisfaction, her mouth was for all the time just a thin line. Except that in order to obtain that success, she had been staring at her lips rather than at her eyes. And so, in the end, Cruella had in store more lectures than praises.

"Oh, little diamond! You are really a disaster, aren't you?" she asked with an annoyed sigh, while rushing at her side with some cotton wool soaked of cleansing lotion.

Asking – or rather ordering – her daughter to close her eyes, she started to clean the two evident black spots. When all the mascara was gone and Anita opened her eyes, the tension seemed suddenly to evaporate. As they were staring at each other, a smile appeared on both their faces; it was just a little gesture, but yet it was the sign for Cruella to slow down a little and for Anita to try to save the day. That was probably the reason why the girl suddenly made the most unexpected question.

"Mommy, what do you say about trying something for the hair?"

* * *

The make-up part was the worst part indeed, but actually, after that first little argument, things got better for mother and daughter. They even found a compromise when it came to nails and hairdo – even if Cruella still showed her disapproval for her daughter's choice of a yellow nail polish and an _Elsa-style_ tress. Therefore, at evening, not only they were both alive, but they seemed also almost happy.

"Oh, did you two have fun together?" Isaac asked in fact, as he watched them crossing the frontdoor hand in hand.

"Of course, darling, did you have any doubt?" the woman quickly replied, throwing a glare at the man and then winking at the girl. "I'm going to check on Fitz now. Because I'm not so sure that you two didn't _kill_ each other instead…"

Anita gave a complicit grin to her mother and kept it on until the woman's figure disappeared from the room. Only then, it slowly faded, as she just hinted her father to approach her more.

"Can we go together to the library tomorrow, right?"

Isaac looked surprised for a moment, but almost immediately started to chuckle amused. The old alliances were being restored.

"Of course, my angel. I don't really want to spend another day playing at videogames with your brother…"

* * *

 **Can I say how much I love seeing Anita and Isaac teaming up against Cruella? This was very fun to right and I hope you liked it, because I'm planning to use a prompt I've recived yesterday as a sort of "sequel" lol**

 **To _PMG_ : Finally I can give a name to my main Guest:) Thanks to you for the beautiful prompts and the reviews! Your support is really precious for me. If my short stories can brighten your mood, so do your reviews with mine! Hope you'll continue to like this collection!**


	18. Darkness and weakness

**_Darkness and weakness_**

 **Prompt:** **I was thinking can you write one where cruella's weakness is her family and she's afraid to lose them ?**

* * *

 _Darkness surrounded her and for once Cruella didn't like it. She couldn't see anything and risked more than once to fall - oh no, she didn't like that at all. However, she couldn't stop, she had to keep walking and the craziest thing was she didn't even know why. There was something she had to find, something she was desperately looking for, but she just didn't know what that thing was. No matter how she tried to remember, it seemed there was nothing else left in her mind except for that huge feeling of fear._

" _Ouch!" she heard her own voice say, as she bumpedinto a sort of wall. She raised up her hands and slowly started to touch it. She didn't discover much: it was cold, smooth and… it had a handle; luckily for her, that last detail proved to be the needed one. It wasn't a wall, but actually a door. Without hesitation, she lowered the handle and as soon as she stepped in that way out, everything came back._

 _Light, memory and also her weak points._

" _Fitz! Anita!" she yelled, not hiding a happy smile, as she started to rush toward the two children she could see on the other side of the room._

 _But when she came closer enough to actually_ see _them, she suddenly froze in place. Both of them had a mask of blood instead of the face and looked like two desperate zombies seeking for death. Paralyzed, with widened eyes and out of breath, she stared in shock for some moments and didn't even aknowledged the tears that started running down her cheeks. That was until a hand was placed on her shoulder, forcing her to turn around._

" _Isaac!" she exclaimed, feeling her own crying increase. "What the hell happened here? What happened to our children?"_

 _Her desperation was only answered by contempt. At a second glance, it wasn't difficult to see that, despite his face was normal, he looked red too. Not of blood, but anger._

" _You don't know Cruella? You did this… Your mother was right, you destroy everything you touch…"_

 _Cruella widened her eyes again, but it was immediately guilty more than confusion the reason of that reaction. She couldn't remember what happened, but she just knew that he was right, she knew it was her fault._

" _No, please, Isaac… I'm sorry! I- I didn't want anything of this to happen… I'm sorry, please…"_

 _She grabbed his shirt and started to shake him to get his attention. But as she keep pleading and pleading for forgiveness, he just wiggled out of her grip, letting her fall on the ground. With just a last disgusted look, he started to walk away, leaving her alone crying._ Leaving her in the dark.

* * *

"Cru, Cruella! Wake up!"

Cruella opened suddenly her eyes, looking confused. She was in her bed, under the sheets and Isaac was the one who was shaking her, while his face showed nothing but worry. Slowly, she dared to give a look around; it wasn't daylight but not even that dark of her nightmare. Yes, it must have been just a nightmare, nothing did suggest otherwise.

"What… What happened?" she asked in a whisper, still not completely recovered from the fear.

"You should tell me. You were moving in your sleep and suddenly you started screaming…" Isaac explained giving her a caring look. Then he sighed as another thought came into his mind. "I hope this didn't woke the kids. Anita didn't really want to sleep tonight…"

But as soon as he said those words, a new thought popped into her mind as well – a thought that brought her back immediately to the nightmare. She quickly sat up, as her eyes widened in fear again. "The kids… Where are the kids, darling?"

"They're sleeping – _at least I hope_ – in their rooms. I checked them about ten minutes ago…"

"And they are fine?"

"Yes, they're fine… Everything is fine, Cru"

She nodded, feeling a bit reassured by those words, but not relieved yet. And maybe that was the thing: she would have never felt totally safe, relieved or careless again – not now that she had someone in her life.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he offered, after a short heavy silence, sensing her agitation.

"No, it was nothing…" she replied quickly, maybe too harshly. But right then, her tone went softer as did her look. "Just hold me, okay?"

Isaac instictively frowned, completely taken aback by the unexpected and uncharacteristically request, but he didn't have reasons to complain. Not hesitating too much, he just did as she had just said and started to caress her back, trying to calm her.

Cruella did calm down in fact, but despite the fact he kept holding her all the time, she didn't fall asleep again that night. And it was not because she feared to have a bad dream again, but mostly because she had now heavy thoughts she couldn't escape.

She was realizing only then that she had something to love, something to lose, something to protect.

For the first time she felt really weak. For the first time she felt really _human_.

* * *

 **I'm always happy to show Cruella's slow change. Thanks to Guest for giving the chance to do that:)**

 **To _PMG_ : OMG! You can't imagine the feels you game me with all those prompts! Just reading them I've already had a few ideas for some, I hope to be able to post at least the most of them. Thank you so so much! :D**


	19. I will always find you

_**I will always find you**_

 **Prompt: For a next prompt everyone again returns to the enchanted forest by the Dark fairy or someone-your choice- Cru and the kids are separated from Isaac and they go to Reginas for the time being or Cruellas home in FTL (if it hasn't been destroyed) Cruella leaves the kids with Ursula or Mal and looks for him.**

* * *

A new unpredictable curse, a huge black cloud wrapping all the town and then it was suddenly like the setting around them had disapperead. It took just a look around to discover that they were back into the Enchanted Forest: actually, the Dark Fairy didn't have much more creativity than Peter Pan. Nothing they couldn't have dealt with, but the problem was that, somehow, some people got lost in that cloud of darkness and now they seemed nowhere to be found.

David Nolan was the first to give the alarm, not seeing his belve wife at his side. So, like the brave man and natural leader he was, he immediately started to organize a searching group, while Emma started to lead everyone else to Regina's castle . A couple of dwarves, Ruby Lucas-Whale and Robin Hood were the first to join him, but surprisingly Cruella decided to volunteer right after.

"Hey, Prince Chiseled Chin, I'm coming with you!" she exclaimed in fact, as soon as she saw the little squad starting to move.

The man stopped and turned around, with an astonished expression on the face, but before he could say anything it was Ursula the one to step in.

"It can be dangerous Cru... And what about your children?" she asked, trying to make her see reason.

But Cruella had some reasons of her own. She hesitated just for a moment – the time to glance at her safe children. "You and Mal will take care of them, you both are quite mother material, aren't you?" she replied with her usual sharp irony. "Isaac is missing" she added then more seriously though, as if that fact could explain everything.

"Okay, but Charming and the others will look for him, there's no need for you to go around too…"

Mrs Heller stayed silent for a short while, as if she was actually considering that tempting idea. However, she suddenly shook her head, sticking to what her instict was telling her. "I really have to go, darling"

The sea witch frowned a bit and a confused smile appeared on her lips. "But why? I just told you that-"

"The children need him"

"No, they are fine right now…"

"Well _, I_ need him then"

That last sentence was almost yelled, as Cruella suddenly ran out of patience in her current unstable emotional state. A few heads turned in her direction and she could swear to see an amused smile appearing on David's face; so she quickly looked down, trying to compose herself after that accidentally "sentimental outburst".

She was so focused on herself that she didn't realize that, right in front of her, Ursula was turning red too – because of a whole different shame though. That distraction was actually a luck, because seeing the pain and the bitterness in the other woman's black eyes could have raised questions. Questions about an almost past and many "what-ifs", questions that no one of them would have probably liked to face. Besides, as that yelled sentence had just confirmed, it was too late for everything, anyway.

"You should go…" Ursula just whispered in the end, trying hard to hint a smile.

And it was convincing enough, since Cruella smiled back and, not letting any doubt touch her mind, quickly gave her the back and started to walk away.

After a short while, the group decided to split in order to cover more area and have better chance to find the missing people. After all, they were all disagreeing about the direction to take and, above all, everyone of them had a different aim in mind. Grumpy and Doc took a path on the right, as Ruby and Robin took an opposite one on the left, so at one point there was only the strange team of David and Cruella left. She had nothing to complain about the company though, considering the soft spot she had always at for that idiot but good-looking prince. Well, that was until he made an attempt of conversation, of course.

* * *

"So, mmm, you need him, don't you?" he teased in fact, out of the blue, letting that previous smile appear again on his face.

She stopped for a moment in her track, throwing a quick glare at him. "Shut up or I'll make you!"

David obeyed indeed, but mostly because he didn't hear any "reassuring" darling or other funny nicknames. She was in no mood for joking and, honestly, he wasn't as well. Each of them were looking for their own spouse and, despite natural hope or pretended indifference, the tension was high. So, they kept walking through the woods in silence, until the prince suddenly stopped with a very silly smile on.

"What the hell you are you doing?"

He didn't answer her, just widened his smile and started to run, calling his wife's name. As she discovered following his run with the eyes, at a few meters there was Mary Margaret indeed. The couple reunited soon, with a passionate kiss and a sentimental hug, but Cruella had already looked away. Mrs Charming wasn't alone in fact, but with none less than Isaac. In that moment she was sure that, against her will, the same silly smile Charming had was now on her face as well. She didn't run though and not even called out for him; instead, she just started to walk slowly and, when she finally arrived, she gave him a reproach as first thing.

"You're such a fool, darling! Getting lost like a… like a _fool_!" But then, unexpectedly, she literally threw her arms at his neck and held him close in a breath-taking hug.

He hugged her back immediately in a mixture of happiness and relief. And surprise as well. "Now what, Cru? Are you even going to say something like _I will always find you_?"

Cruella took a step back, almost disgusted by the prospect, and rolled her eyes. "Oh no, darling. Because I trust I'll never have to find you again!"

* * *

 **So, yes, I've used the Snowing famous phrase for my precious OTP lol Also, I've finally had the chance to clarify Ursula's role in my "Authella world". I am also a sea devil shipper (even if I don't ship it as much as Authella) and so I decided to say that Ursula has some feelings for Cru, even if Cru doesn't - at least not anymore. Hope you liked this fic!**

 **Thanks for the beautiful revies I've recived, they make me want to write more!:) See you soon!**


	20. Dalmatian pox

**_Dalmatian pox_**

 **Prompt:** **LET THERE BE CHICKEN POX TO ALL except isaac.**

 **AND**

 **Prompt:** **A 2nd on the other reviewer who prompted the chicken pox. The kids get it (Isaac has already had it) but when the kids start to get better, BOOM, Cruella gets it too...and it takes every ounce of emotional fortitude to deal with a miserable Cruella...LOL**

* * *

"…Yes, I'll check right now…Thanks for calling"

After hanging up the phone, Isaac actually didn't know if it was better to cry or laugh. David Nolan had just informed him that his son had taken the chicken pox and, considering the constant closeness between baby Neal and his own two children, it wasn't difficult to guess what was about to happen. Anyway, he immediately went to them and it was enough to raise Anita' s sleeves to confirm his suspects; the vision of Fitz's back then, made it all even worse.

"What does it mean, dad? Will I have this rash for all my life?" the boy asked, trying to look at his back in the mirror. He seemed disgusted more than actually scared, but in any case his father knew how to calm him down.

"It means you are going to skip schools for at least two weeks, are you happy?"

"Of course he is, but I'm not!" Anita intervened, complaining for the first time. "The teacher will go on with the program and I will miss my friends…"

However, the man had some cards to use to convince her as well. "But consider this, my angel: books, hot chocolate and a lot of cartoons!"

As predicted, Anita easily accepted that new situation just like her brother did just some minutes before. The real problem was in fact managing to calm the child in the house, who was also the most childish of all: _Cruella_. Isaac hesitated as much as he could and then tried to deliver the news using even more calm than with the kids. But, as soon as she found out about the disease, she started to freak out anyway.

"What the hell is this _chicken pox_? I neved had it! What's going to happen now?" she rambled, clearly agitated. "You must do something, Isaac! Put some blood on our frontdoor and tell _your_ god that we are innocent – of everything!"

Evidently, she hadn't realized that chicken pox wasn't the plague. And definitely was not one of the _Plagues of Egypt_ either.

"Cru, just calm down…" he started to say, gently taking her hands in his. "Chicken pox is just a common disease which lasts about fifteen day. I had it, so I'll take care of the kids, while you can go to stay with Maleficent or the Booths for a while…"

Apparently, his patience and his decisiveness proved to be enough even when it came to Cruella, because she eventually calmed down considerably. "Wow, you have really thought of everything. Haven't you, darling?" she teased after a while, even attempting an ironic smile. "What would I do now, without you?"

"You'd be probably lost without me, I guess…"

 _And probably with a lot of hideous red spots on my skin_ – but she didn't say that aloud and just added an amused shade to her smile.

* * *

The days passed, the children were slowly recovering and, despite missing Cruella, Isaac had to admit that he was having fun spending the days alone with his kids. Of course it was not always easy to handle them, especially because going out was forbidden in order to avoid the potentially dangerous daylight; however, he was dealing with the situation pretty well, all in all. That was at least until on the tenth day of isolation, Cruella showed up at the door; the evident little spots on her face were a proof that it was not because of a willing decision.

"Baby Marco has got the chicken pox…" she just explained with an annoyed sigh, entering the room like a walking dead.

That walk was enough to let him understand that the worse was yet to come. And it came soon in the form of loud complaints and constant requests of attention. The first days were the most difficult ones: she was so unbearable that the now healthy kids were both more than happy to return to school as soon as they could. Isaac did his best to offer his help, but, despite his patience and his care, he took the chance to come back to work as well; he was aware in fact that chicken pox could be more painful for an adult, but he was also aware that it could be the best pretext for his wife to show her drama queen side.

"You can't leave me here alone, darling! Not when I'm barely living…" she predictably complained, showing actually a great fighting spirit for being a muribund.

He sighed and shook his head, while looking at her from the door. "Let me clarify something, Cru: chicken pox is _not_ deadly. I missed two weeks from work already and, trust me, you'll be fine here for just a few hours…"

He wasn't going to leave her without care: he had already made sure that her temperature was okay, gave her some books and magazines to kill boredom, and even asked Maleficent to check on her. However, this was not the kind of attention she wanted.

"So, you are leaving just like that, while I'm here turning into a _sick dalmatian_?"

Her new complaint made him hesitate more, as he frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"About me and these dreadful red spots. They shouldn't have called it chicken pox, but _dalmatian pox,_ really! _"_ she explained not hiding her growing annoyance. But her tone softened immediately though. "You can't really stay with me, just one day more perhaps?"

Isaac suddenly chuckled amused, but the funny explanation was not the main reason . In fact, looking at her right now, with those red spots and most of all the puppy eyes, she really seemed a dog. And sadly, he really wasn't the kind of man to abandon a harmless animal alone.

"You are not going to complain, okay?"

"No, not even a _bark_ , darling!" she promised quickly, flashing a grin at his direction.

He hesitated for a while, but both of them knew that he had made a choice. A few minutes later, he was in fact already in the bed next to her and he remained there all morning… _Even when she soon did start to complain after all._

* * *

 **Hello! I hope that you liked this oneshot, since it was requested by two different people (thank you** **DevilDahling ****and PMG!). I want to specify that I never had the chicken pox, so the little details I wrote were taken from internet and a friend. Yes, I had to do some researches lol Thank you like always for the reviews, see you soon!;)**


	21. The new Leonardo

_**The New Leonardo**_

 **Prompt: Cruella marvels at her young son's artistic talent.**

* * *

The first time Cruella saw one of her son's drawings was when he was already six. Despite her effortS to be a good mother, she was still a quite absent-minded person; besides, on the other hand, he had always tried to hide his artistic side. So, when she suddenly found a very detailed illustration of their cat in his exercise book, her first instict was to be surprised and incredulous. And unavoidably _angry_.

"Fitz! Fitz!" she called out loud for him from the kitchen, while moving to the living room. "What the Hell does that mean?!" she asked then, stopping in front of him with a stern look and pointing at the incriminatory page.

Hearing his mother's voice and, even before, her quick steps, Fitzgerald immediately dropped his videogame on the sofa and tried to get ready for the certain reproach. He knew that something was wrong, even though he didn't know what it was yet. And the sight of his exercise book didn't help him at all. "It's the test we did today at school… We had to draw an animal…" he eventually replied a bit uncertain.

"Exactly! Then, can you explain to me why the teacher had to draw it for you?"

After that accusation, Fitz's fear turned into pure confusion. "But _I_ drew that stupid cat!"

Cruella not even gave him the benefit of the doubt and just made a sarcastic chuckle, as she shook her head. "Of course, darling… And I am _Snow White_ , then!"

Maybe she should have thought better before speaking, because they were very much alike after all. In a matter of seconds, even confusion disappeared from his face and he looked the angry one now. Stubborn, irritable and impulsive just like her, he stood up and quickly ran upstairs to his room; she called him back a few times and then started to follow him, but before she could even put a foot on the first step of the stairs, he climbed them down and appeared in front of her with an album full of drawings. The postive thing was that, finally, pride won over shyness.

"Look at these, mom… I made all of them!" he exclaimed, handing her the album, as evidence of his talent – and also his honesty.

She looked still skeptical, but decided to give a look anyway. Whatever she was expecting, her expectations were betrayed, as she soon found herself to be out of breath. There were not only more sketches of Eliot, but also views of the town and attempts of portraits; it was an actual surprise to discover that kind of talent, most of all because she never had any suspicious. Well, truth be told, the time he decided to spend alone in his room and his constant desire for new crayons was finally making sense. However, it was the one portrait of herself that completely left her speechless: not only she was well represented, but her paper-self had her same usual expression.

"That's me…" she whispered eventually, with her eyes still wide opened. "Oh, little puppy, you could be the _new Leonardo_!" she exclaimed then, looking up to him and revealing all her enthusiasm.

The little boy immediately made a proud smirk, finally able to let his insecurities go. But that didn't prevent him from throwing a mocking look at his mother. "So… Are you _Snow White_ now?"

* * *

Cruella Heller wasn't exactly well-liked by the other moms at school: she didn't easily joined conversations and when she did, it was only to have some digs on them. However the day after the discovery about Fitzgerald, she seemed unusually loquacious – and that proved to be only worse. In fact, she spent at least ten minutes talking about her son's artistic talent, showing his drawings to whomever made the big mistake to pay her attention. Unluckily for Ruby, Mary Margaret and Ariel, they were on that list. They all looked quite exasperated and exasperation turned soon into irritation, as praising started to involve comparisons. According to Cruella, Neal Nolan or Peter Whale's athletic skills had nothing on those drawings, and so did Melody Prince's soft voice.

"…So, what? Truth hurts, doesn't it, darlings?" she teased in the end, looking at all the three women with a victorious smile.

The others remained silent for some moments in disbelief and then looked at each other, uncertain to what to do. Then, all the eyes were suddenly on Ruby and that look meant only one thing: considering her well-known bluntness, she was being chosen as mouthpiece of them all. Did she have to be the one to talk? Did she have to be honest? Well, she would just have done that. But, despite her strong will to reduce Cruella's pride and defend her own son's qualities, the words that she finally said took everyone by surprise.

"You're right… Your son has really a future!"

The two princesses glared at her in confusion, while the witch clapped her hands in some kind of mad joy. But Ruby just made a soft smile and didn't add nor retract anything. Even though Cruella was very annoying, it was good to see her being so maternal… And besides, the drawings were actually really good.

* * *

 **So, I was going to update yesterday but the site had some problems and so here we are. Thanks to PMG for the prompt. As always, I'll try to write and update soon:)**


	22. Magical ink

**_Magical ink_**

 **Prompt:** **Fitz or Anita's first date & how each parent reacts.**

* * *

"Take this with you, in case you need it."

Anita looked from his father's serious face to the little bottle he had in his hand. She had seen it enough to be aware of his content, but that knowldegde didn't make her feel less confused. Some millilitres of magical ink? Actually, she was pretty sure to be able to hold back her writing inspiration for just one night.

"I don't think it will be necessary…"

But Isaac knew something that the girl ignored: magical ink was multiple-use. And in that right moment, he was just thinking that it could be more effective than any common chilli pepper spray.

"Trust me, you just have to spill it on him and he won't bother you ever again!" he explained in a convinced tone, handing her the little bottle before she could refuse.

In fact, she remained speechless for some moments. Her confusion grew even more and when it reached its peak, it suddenly turned into amusement, as a chuckle unavoidably escaped her lips. "Daddy, I know you care about me, but I repeat it: it won't be necessary."

The man was about to say something, probably about the chance to see her first date become a tragedy and her boy reveal a serial killer side. However, Cruella quickly appeared in the room with an enthusiastic mood, just in time to stop him.

"Don't worry, little diamond… It's his way to give you his blessing!" she exclaimed, throwing then an unexpected loving look at him. "That's exactly what he did on our first date and see how happy we are now! Oh, it's so… _romantic_ , isn't it?"

While Anita was fighting hard to hide another chuckle, thinking about her parents' quite absurd story – which, luckily for her, she didn't know everything about -, Isaac was the confused one now. Was it really possible that, after all the actual things he did for his wife, spilling ink on her as an act of defense was the only one she found romantic? Anyway, a glare at her was enough to show his disapproval, and he quickly focused again on the topic of the day.

"I'm just a bit worried, that's it… I mean, what do we know about this guy anyway?" he asked, trying to conceal his anxiety. "But I guess a small talk with him as soon as he comes will clear my doubts…"

A nervous but yet victorious smile soon appeared on the girl's face. "I'm sorry, but that won't be possible. We'll meet at Granny's."

"Well, I can take you the-"

" _I_ 'll take her there!" Cruella interrupted, trying to save again the situation – this time with more success though. "And by the way, it's late, my darling… We have to go!"

Without adding anything else, the woman immediately grabbed her daughter by the arm, leading her to the door. Pressed by her mother, Anita had just the chance to wave a goodbye to her father and, truth be told, she didn't consider a bad thing to escape that sort of interrogatory. Therefore, Isaac remained alone in a matter of seconds, with still many recommentations left unsaid. And two questions to keep him company: how is daughter was growing up so fast and why his wife always managed to have her way.

A glass of gin to drink, a good book to read – or at least pretend to – and a clock to nervously look at: it was bound to be a long _long_ night.

* * *

The car abruptly stopped hitting the sidewalk, but the door didn't open immediately: it was a somehow important step in Anita's life and a bit of hesitation was required. Even Cruella couldn't hide her feelings about it – whatever they were.

"You look so lovely, my little diamond… Well not so little anymore!" she exclaimed, staring at her for some moments.

There was no trace of worry in her face, but just that same enthusiasm she had showed before. She seemed thrilled and ready to push her daughter into the arms of her date and actually, that couldn't be less than suspicious. Therefore, against any expectations, it was Anita the one to prolong the waiting in confusion.

"Mom, do you really have no recommendations at all for me?" she asked in fact, sounding also a bit offended.

"Oh, I have one: flirt as much as you can and have fun!" Cruella replied, concluding the sentence with an eloquent wink.

"Mom!"

"What? I am honestly over the moon about this moment…You are almost eighteen, for furs's sake! I was beginning to think that you were _asexual_ …"

"MOM!"

A sincerely amused chuckle was the woman's only defense, but soon it disappeared, as her face grew suddenly more serious. "Besides… I know that Peter Whale doesn't have a chance with you, since you are madly in love with Little Prince Nolan…" she added in fact and, despite the impertinent smirk on her lips, it was probably the most maternal thing she had said that night.

Because it meant that she had watched her daughter from afar, that she cared for her more than she showed. She wasn't worry because she didn't care, but because she felt that there was no reason to.

Sadly, that was not how the girl took it immediately; in fact, her attention had drifted away from her mother and instantly reached the boy she had a secret crush on. Against all the almost scandalized exclaimation she had made before, she unexpectedly remained silent this time and looked away, unavoidably turning red. Maybe because it was the only allusion that could actually hit – and _hurt_ – her.

"I… I'm going" the girl announced at some point, hinting a small smile and finally opening the door.

However, before she could put a foot out of the car, Cruella gently grabbed her arm, in order to hold her a little longer. After all, she did have a suggestion to give.

"You should take this with you" she said in fact, handing her the little bottle of ink.

The good humor totally reappeared on Anita's face, not helping the incredulous chuckle at the sight of the almost forgotten object. "Oh, mommy, do you really think that it will be necessary?"

"Well… You could never say, darling" she replied with a casual shrug. "But, be sure of something:if it had been Neal, I would have given you _my gun_!"

* * *

 **Sorry I'm late *said in Regina's voice*. I hope that with this humor chapter I'll be forgiven for the late; sadly I did not have much inspiration and then I'm busy - with studying, life in general and other stories (I'm glad to say that a new Authella long-fic is coming soon!). So, what do you think about Anita's frst date? And the introduction of baby Frankenwolf (Peter)? I'll be able to post a new prompt next week, but I'll try to write quicker then;)**

 **To _PMG_ : Oh, happy birthday darling! (Even if it's coming really late). I hope you liked how I wrote this other prompt of yours. Your reviews are always very important to me. Kisses.**


	23. Perfect match

**_Perfect match_**

 **Prompt (on Tumblr): Fitz/Nicky – "I will knock you on your ass if you even think about it!"**

* * *

" _I will knock you on your ass if you even think about it_!"

Fitzgerald immediately turned his head in disbelief; then, facing the girl's deadly serious expression, he couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle. However, almost automatically, he dropped the phone on the sofa as act of surrender, proving that the unexpected sentence had the hoped effects, after all.

"Wowo! I would have never expected you to be so gross!" he exclaimed then, giving her a look that passed all her figure.

Dominique Gold: three years younger than him, flowers and books lover, possibly the sweetest person in the world. Not to mention he rappearance, marked out by limpid blue eyes and an almost constant blush on her cheeks. What happened now to that shy girl? Suddenly she looked a lot more like her father than like the kind Belle and, surely, what just came out of her mouth wasn't a quotation from Shakespeare.

Apparently unafraid of that deep gaze, she remained standing in front of him with her arms crossed and with that same unfriendly glare. "This happens when I'm angry" she replied then. And obviously in that moment, she was _very_ angry. "You can't interfere with Anita's love life… it's not right! And if you really care about her, you should know that yourself, but inste-"

"Of course I care about my sister!" heinterrupted her, getting slightly irritated himself by the subtle implication. "And I want her to be happy, that's why I'm interfering – as you say… I honestly think Neal can make her happy."

"Well, I personally think that Peter can too… But it doesn't matter, because this decision is not ours to make!"

They looked at each other in silence: an uncertain look against a reproachful one. Actuall, they had two different visions of Anita's happy ending, both standing for their best friends – Fitzgerald for Neal Nolan and Dominique for Peter Whale. But Nicky was right, this was not the point: Anita had to make her own decision and the two closest people to her had do nothing but let things happen.

"Fine! I won't do anything!" Fitz exclaimed eventually, theatrically raising his hands up in the air. "I'm just saying that Anita and Neal would be a perfect match…" he added though thoughtfully. But seeing the girl's new glare, he suddenly decided to light the mood. "You know Nicky? Someone could say the same for us…" he teased in fact, with a sort of mischievous grin.

As Fitz predicted, Nicky's anger suddenly disappered, but unluckily not in favor of an amused or embarassed smile. Instead, she just widened her eyes and a veil of sadness went to cover her face. If he had known what was going on in her mind in that moment, if he had known what was going on in her _heart_ since almost forever, he probably would have known that the innocent joke was a very bad idea. But yet, that surprising mask of hurt let him understand something anyway. That's why, he slowly stood up and tried to approach her.

"Hey, what's up? I was just joking…" he asked, a bit concerned, moving one hand toward her arm.

But before he could reach her, she abruptly took a step back. As quickly as she could, she collected her purse and her coat; only after that she looked up at him, but only to cast him a last glare, somehow more painful than all the previous ones.

"You were joking, that's _exactly_ the problem…" she said in a sad tone. "You shouldn't say such things. Not when you don't mean it."

"But Nicky, wait –"

His words remained in his mouth and his hand fell slowly at his side, as she simply turned around and went out the room. He stood still for some moments, puzzled, confused and full of another feeling he couldn't actually grasp. Only when he heard from afar Nicky's absent-mindedly greeting to his father, followed by the noise of the closing front door, a deep sigh escaped his lips. He started to move and sat again down on the sofa, but his mind wasn't awakened yet, as any thought about his siser was quickly being replaced by his sister's best friend instead. And then, in the silence of the room and the speaking of his mind, a realization suddenly hit him.

Maybe he did _really_ mean it after all.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I'm sorry for the late, but the good news is that I've finished my exams and I have a break before starting new lessons... So more time to write (and hopefully more inspiration as well!). Thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate them. I hope you liked this oneshot, even if it's not focused on Authella. I do love my next generation couples and I have the idea of Fitz and Nicky as the clichè story of her being in lvoe with him since forever and he not realizing it - oh well, not soon at least lol**

 **To _PMG_ : You reviews are always so nice and encouraging! Don't worry, I'm not abandoning the ship!;) My inspiration seems to be back and I hope this will last... By the way, any prompt you think about is always welcome - even if it may take me forever to write:( lol**

 **Fingers crossed, I'll update tomorrow;)**


	24. Shadows of the past

_**Shadows of the Past**_

 **Prompt: Isaac takes his family to NYC to show them where he grew up before becoming the Author-they then take in some of the NY sights-with I &C at odds on what they each want to show the children.**

 **Notes: I tricked the prompt, it just seems inspiration went another way:/**

* * *

"Oh, you lived there, daddy? And which floor?"

Isaac chuckled at Anita's curious question, but yet didn't move his eyes away from the majestic building in front of them. Ultramodern look, expensive materials and eighteen floors: of course, poor young Isaac never lived there; he lived on that exact spot indeed, except that the spot wasn't occupied by that building at the time.

"It wasn't like this when I was young. My flat only had two small rooms and it wasn't very comfortable…"

That answer surprised completely the eight-years old girl, but didn't reduce her curiosity at all; actually, it only grew and it even infect her brother as well. In a matter of seconds, both the children started asking questions and, under that soliticing, he didn't hesitate much to answer. As author telling stories was his job, but yet that was probably his first time he was revealing his own one. In that moment, he opened himself up completely: the need, the early death of a father he never got the chance to know,the difficult relationship with his beloved mother, the lack of friends and his various works – from delivering newspapers to selling televisions. Once he started talking, both the kids listened carefully, even avoiding further questions not to break the interesting narration.

The most astonished of all was Cruella though. Leaning on her car with crossed arms, she was silently listening too, but her face actually showed more annoyance than curiosity. She never asked anything of her husband's past and getting to know all of this now by chance, was making her feel somehow uncomfortable. How could have he lived such a poor and lonely life and turned out to be such a decent human being? How could he look so proud and not ashamed digging up those memories?

"Care to explain why the hell have you brought us here then?" she asked abruptly at some point, casting him a bored look. "You could have told them this story even at home…"

Isaac turned quickly to her with a puzzled look, but the little smile that appeared on his lips let her know that he wasn't offended. After all, he had dealt with her enough to learn about her tactlessness. "You're right, but it was an obliged stop for our trip in New York" he replied, calmly. "So, what do we want to see now?"

At that question, the woman couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Nowhere, darling. The scenic tour ends here." Then, with suddenly more enthusiasm, she clapped twice her gloved hands to attract the kids' attention. "Everybody in the car! We are going to spend the rest of the day making some _shopping_!"

None of the children seemed thrilled about the prospect, but the encouraging nod of their father - and probably most of all the demanding look of their mother – convinced them to move. Actually, they would have stayed gladly there for a little while, but despite their age they understood that mommy had other priorities and besides, they were smart enough to know not to argue with her when she was annoyed. Soon, the only person who remained motionless on the sidewalk was Isaac, even when all the rest of the family was inside the car.

"Isaac, com'on! I have to buy a lot of things!" Cruella urged him, bringing her face out the window.

But the man just slowly shook his head, giving her an enigmatic smile. "I'll have a walk. We'll keep in touch by phone…" Apparently, the scenic tour was not over for him and perhaps, considering his easy agreement to Cruella's plan, he didn't mind to be alone to do that.

In a matter of seconds and quick goodbyes, the car started entering the traffic jam, while Isaac started to walk in the different direction.

* * *

Four full bags, a thrilled smile on Cruella's face and the children's exhausted expressions: these were all prooves of the success of the mission. However, the woman's joy started to fade when after three hours, she still hadn't received any message from Isaac. She wasn't used to being without him for so long and, as far as she hated to admit it, she was starting to grow concerned. That was why she suddenly interrupted her shopping marathon, took again the car and called him more than once.

"Isaac! Where the Hell are you?" she almost shouted when, after three attempts, he finally answered.

As soon as she got the reply, she hang up and drove straight to the place. In that moment she only thought about finding him, checking on him and most of all reproaching him for his disappearance; it was only when she stopped the car and looked outside the window, that she actually understood where she was. Sighing deeply in a mix of confusion and annoyance, she got out the car and then led the children out as well, silently ordering them to keep quiet.

It was a cemetery, location of death, where silence screamed out loud and sadness could be tasted. Considering her relationship with death, that was the last place she would have liked to go, but it didn't take her more than a few steps to spot him and so she kept walking. She didn't stop until she reached him, standing in his gloomy silence in front of a tomb, and when she finally stopped, she found herself strangely unwilling to bother him. Was that a new found care toward the dead? No, it was only a kind of care toward him. Therefore, she remained silent, gave a quick look back to check on the kids standing a few steps from them, and then glanced at the tomb. _Rebecca Levi Heller._

"You and her have something in common, you know?" It was Isaac unexpectedly to speak up first.

Cruella raised both her eyebrows in surprise. "That's why you didn't meet your father, darling?"

Only at that implication, he looked up to her and suddenly, in spite of the circumstance, let out an amused chuckle. "Oh, no, Cru, she wasn't a serial killer, if that's what you are thinking…" he clarified, but his face soon grew serious again. "It's just that she wasn't good at showing her emotions, she never told me she loved me, even though I know she did…"

He had just willingly opened another piece of his heart, but this time Cruella didn't feel uncomfortbale. Actually, the idea of another woman in his life not treating him well, made her feel less guilty about her own way of treating him. "Well, so you had some training before meeting me…" she said, offering him a small smile.

He smiled back and gently placed his hand on her back. "I guess it's time to go…"

But before he started to move, she suddenly grabbed his arm to keep him in place. In front of his questioning face, she just slightly shrugged and then bent down on her knees, raising the hand she had kept down at her side. There was a bouquet of bluebells in it and she carefully placed it on the tomb, right under the written name. She moved the flowers a bit, checked the position and, only when her job was finally done, she stood up again.

"Now we can go" she whispered, sounding almost proud.

And, as he nodded and took her hand in his, he felt proud of her too. Just like his mother, Cruella would have never admitted aloud that she loved him, but at the same time, just like it was with his mother, telling wasn't necessary after all.

* * *

 **It seems I was able to keep my promise!;) Thank you _PMG_ for the prompt. I really hope you all like it, because it was actually time to show some "shadows" of Isaac's past. I like to think that he lived a very simple life and wasn't much loved. By the way, the name of his mother, Rebecca Levi, comes of course for my imagination and I chose it to remember Isaac's Jewish origins (which are actually canon in S4 Season Finale). Let me know what you think about the chapter and my headcanon:)**


	25. Thanks to red wine

**_Thanks to red wine_**

 **Prompt (on tumblr):** **Neal/Anita. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you."**

 **Notes: Some references to "Thus with a kiss I die" - prompt n.6**

* * *

It wasn't something planned – not the excess of wine, not what came after it.

It should have been just a party at The Rabbit Hole to celebrate the end of the summer, but then somehow Hell broke loose. Almost everybody started dancing, drinking, smoking – not necessarily in that order – and, while Fitz was flirting with Melody and Dominique decided to leave, Anita and Neal found somehow themselves to be alone. Outside the pub, with a bottle of red wine. Some typical excuses –of cold (even if it actually was still summer), boredom or awkward conversations – and they soon drank it all.

"You're beautiful…" he whispered suddenly, staring deeply at her.

Anita looked at him surprised, but then just shook her heavy head. "You are just saying that because you're drunk, baby Nolan…"

He offered her a grin and it was his turn to shake his head. "Well, it's like that Spanigh motto: _In vino veritas_ "

Suddenly she started to laugh openly. "Oh, you know that's _Latin_ , darling?"

And he laughed too, but for a whole different reason. "And you know you just called me _darling_ like your mother?"

The girl widened her eyes and they exchanged a quick look. It was enough for both of them to start laughing again, more carelessly, not caring for anything else in that moment except for those not so funny sentences. They did not care about anything – except for each other.

In fact, after some moments, their eyes locked and the laugh died all at once. Green against blue, they remained like that for a while in silence as if they were under a spell, until she decided to make a brave but maybe thougthless move. She kissed him and it was a shy and light kiss that ended before it even began. Anyway, without waiting for a response, she broke the contact and with widened eyes, quickly stepped away.

" _I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you_ " she said, unavoidably becoming red.

Neal looked at her again, under a new light after that bold act. He was clearly impressed, pleasantly surprised, but most of all he was _happy_. In fact, despite his fame of heartbreaker, his heart was broken too, since it had belonged to Anita for years; but yet, now,it suddenly seemed that he had a concrete chance with her or that, at least, she felt something for him after all. So, after the first shock, he smiled a little and then put two fingers under her chin to let her look up again at him.

"You're right…" he whispered then, surprisingly. But the grin " _I_ should have"

And then he was the one to kiss her, this time with more intensity, and she kissed him back almost immediately. To both, it felt like it was their first kiss and actually it was, because for the first time it wasn't a stolen one and it lasted long enough to allow them to taste each other. Suddenly he forgot about Alexandra Hermann and she forgot about Peter Whale.

In that moment they were together and everything felt right… At least until they both would still have red wine in their system.

* * *

 **Once again it's not about Authella, but after the short fic about Fitz and Nicky, it was required to write something about this other ship of the next generation! Hope you liked this small scene of these two. I will focus more on the family and Authella for the next chapters;)**


	26. Filling an empty space

**_Filling an empty space_**

 **Prompt:** **Cruella & Isaac sit for a formal family portrait with their young children.**

* * *

It all started from an empty space on the living room wall. That problem needed to be fixed, Cruella was sure of that, and, as the vintage fashion lover she was, the most wonderful solution was to be found in a portrait – possibly of herself in her best fur. For once, Isaac agreed with her, except that he decided to involve all the family in the project. And so just two days later, here they were, posing in front of a well-known artist coming from Boston.

However, in spite of having chosen the setting, the clothes and everybody's position, it didn't take longer before Cruella found something to complain about. Apparently, keeping her eyes in front of her didn't prevent her from knowing what was happening at her right on the ground.

"Anita, for furs' sake, stop playing with that cat!" she hissed, trying not to ruin the smile she was performing.

But Anita was less careful about keeping her pose and, hearing that reproach, she suddenly turned her head and started to protest, joined soon by the supporting meow of her cat. The woman casted her a murderous glare and it was only thanks to the smile she had to keep, that she decided not to give in to all the anger she was feeling. That didn't save the girl though, because that behavior had bothered someone else too.

"Can you please turn to your original position, dear?" the artist asked, trying to sound gentle, even if he was unavoidaly starting to get annoyed.

The eight years old girl silently obeyed and even the cat seemed to do that. But, so much for the artist's joy, the peace didn't last long.

"Can you at least make a smile, little diamond?" Cruella whispered again, not letting more than a minute pass.

Probably already forgetting the previous reproach, Anita moved her head again in order to look at her mother with a sorrowful expression. "I can't mom! I remember you that one of my teeth is missing!"

"It doesn't matter really if you don't smile, not until you manage to remain still" the artist intervened again, with one more nervous smile. And yet, the main reason for his annoyance wasn't the little argue between mother and daughter. "And please, you boy, stop moving!"

Right between Cruella and Isaac, Fitzgerald was standing with his hands placed on the back of his parents' chairs, or at least that's what was his original position. In fact, as far as he was a good painter himself, clearly didn't have any patient as model. Out of anyone's sight, he just couldn't stop moving his head, his arms, his legs and then his head again. However, unluckily for him, the problem was that he wasn't exactly out of everyone's sight after all, since the artist was exactly in front of him. Unluckily for the artist though, Fitzgerald wasn't as obedient as his sister.

"You know what? I will not! I'm the only one standing – even Eliot is sitting!" he exclaimed with an unexpected vehemency, theatrically pointing at the cat.

After that outburst, he lost completely his position and instead moved out of the set, sitting on the sofa. All the heads – Cruella included – unavoidably turned to follow him and the cat started to loudly meow again.

The man behind the (not even started) paiting sighed heavily at that whole scene, while dropping the paint brush. "Well, I suppose we shall take a break…"

"No, actually I think you should stop your job here for ever!" the nine years old boy cut him with a sharp glare. "If I can tell my opinion, actually your paintings are not that good anyway…"

An awkward, heavy silence followed that accusation . Fitzgerald was keeping a proud confident face, the painter was looking back at him with widened eyes and a growing red face, while everybody else just moved their eyes from one to another.

"Perfect, then! I won't be stay here another minute to hear the insults of a child!" the man finally exclaimed, literally jumping from his chair.

Grabbing quickly his coat, but leaving – maybe on purpose – his drawing materials, he headed out of the room. Any attempt from Cruella to reach for him and made him see reason was useless and, just mumbling some cold goodbyes, he left.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" Isaac asked, as soon as the echo of the slamming door faded into another awkward silence.

Everyone exchanged a quite concerned - or rather annoyed in Cruella's case -, until suddenly a smile crept on Fitzgerald's face.

"I've got an idea!"

* * *

One week later, that mysterious idea had gained an actual consistency. Just in front of their eyes there was in fact a particular drawing of three people and a cat, while a badly cut photo of a well-known young boy had been added at the last moment at one side. It wasn't perfect and the trick that was used to include the author of the painting in it was actually a bit creepy, but it was perfect to represent the Heller - De Vil. And besides, it wasn't Fitzgerald's fault if he wasn't good enough yet to attempt a self-portait.

"Oh, I should have given you the task since the very start, my personal _Leonardo_!" Cruella beamed, admiring proudly what had just became her favourite work of her son. "I've been a bit foolish, I guess!"

"I agree!" Isaac intervened with a convinced nod, equally proud. "Fitzgerald is very talented indeed… And you are a fool, my love" he added then giving an amusing glance at his wife.

"What are you going to suggest, darling?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms to the chest.

"Nothing more than you already tried to say…"

As the two adults unavoidably started to playfully – or not so playfully – argue, the two children shook their heads and then Anita gave his brother a high five.

But in the end, what really mattered was that everyone was satisfied with the solution… And that the empty space on the wall was not so empty anymore.

* * *

 **Thanks to _PMG_ for this prompt! This one actually came out crazier than I thought, hope you liked it as crazy as it is lol ****Slowly, I'm trying to write as prompts as possible and, by the way, if anyone of you readers has some other prompts in mind, just send them and I'll see if they can "shake" my inspiration :)**


	27. Welcoming the new year

_**Welcoming the new year**_

 **Prompt:** **New years party and midnight kisses.**

* * *

To welcome the new year, it was decided to gather all the townspeople in the main road, making no distintions of age, friendships or between heroes and villains. It wasn' common use actually, but after the recent attack from a new outside enemy, they all felt the need to be close as a community. And well, those who didn't feel it weren't left with many other choices. Of course, some people had a private dinner at their house and the youngest went to have some drinks at The Rabbit Hole, but at a minute to midnight they were all exceptionally together.

As he clock of the tower bell signed 20 seconds to midnight,suddenly a silly ferment was spread through the crowd. While everyone else started to look at each other and occupy themselves with something, Cruella sighed, then blinked a few times and decided to spend those last seconds to cast a careful glance around.

 _15_

Right in front of her, near a table set up with drinks and food for the event, there were Victor and Ruby Whale. They were smiling at each other in a mischievous way, probably still flirting despite the many years of marriage.

 _14_

At few steps, Granny Lucas was watching them with the arms crossed at her chest and a not so pleased expression. Probably, she was still skeptical about the choice of her neice. So sad that, because of resentment, the old wolf missed the loving look Geppetto casted on her instead.

 _13_

A clear joyful laughter reached Cruella's ears and urged her to move her eyes at the completely opposite direction. It belonged to Ariel, spotted in the exact moment she twas throwing her arms at his smiling husband.

 _12_

Beside the happy two, another royal couple was making a public display of affection. In fact, Snow and Charming, one in the arms of the other, were already kissing. Needless to say, the black and white haired woman immediately turned away.

 _11_

The first people that appeared in front of her eyes was the unlike pairing of doctor Hopper and Zelena. In that second, they both looked quite friendly with each other and so, quite shocked, she looked away again.

 _10_

August Booth caressing Lily's cheek was surely a better scene to be a witness of. Or at least, just one which she was much more used to.

 _9_

A well known young boy ran to the couple, almost making them jump. Soon it was followed by an exhausted but yet enthusiastic Maleficent. Just by that single thing, it was clear that the dragon woman wanted to made up for the lost time with her daughter and at least, she was surely making an amazing job as grandmother.

 _8_

The vision of a bottle raised up in the air recalled Cruella's attention, but just a casual look was enough to understand what was going on. Rumplestiltskin was reading the label on one of the sparkling wine bottles that would have soon be opened. Probably it was an expensive wine, but he was holding his most precious thing with the other arm: his wife Belle.

 _7_

That was not the only trace of alcohol though, and the second wasn't passed when she caught another scene with the corner of the eye: Captain Hook and Robin Hood toasting and drinking together like old buddies. It was a friendship probably no one would have bet on.

 _6_

Close to the two men, but yet at a safety distance, the Savior and the Evil queen were exchanging a complicit look and rubbing their hands, probably getting ready to create fireworks with their joined magic. Another unlikely but successful friendship, indeed.

 _5_

Another laughter reached her ears after just some seconds from the first one, but apparently laughing hard was a family thing. In fact, it was Melody Prince the owner of it and, suprisingly, the reason of it was the newly single Peter Whale. Another couple was about to form? Since they both were ex of her children, Cruella couldn't help but internally smirk at that, but however didn't think about it that much.

 _4_

Delightment: here was the emotion she felt for the fourth second of the countdown, as her eyes lain on Fitzgerald lovingly hugging his girlfriend from behind and whispering something in her ear.

 _3_

And the delightment continued as she unexpectedly witnessed the kiss that Anita shyly placed on Neal's lips in front of everyone. Cruella had secretly been a supporter of the couple since the very start and now she had to force herself not to applaude. An actual smile appeared on her lips though: oddly a sit seems, she was enthusiastic of both her possible children in law and it was a big deal, considering the fact that she hated everyone a priori.

 _2_

Delightment suddenly turned into horror as Isaac moved in front of her, with the clear intention to turn around in the direction of where Anita and Neal were kissing. If he had actually seen the scene, the new year wouldn't have probably started in the best way at all. So, she instinctively grabbed his arm to recall his attention.

 _1_

"Isaac, darling, wait!" she exclaimed in a single breathe, actually unsure of what to say next.

 _0_

The crowd bursted into a choir of acclaimes for the new year, the bottles were about to be opened and the first sparks of magic reached the sky. Isaac was looking at her uncertain and she was uncertain too, but still she let her first instict lead her and, for once, it was a rarely sweet one. Out of the blue, she grabbed him by his coat and kissed him hard on the lips, until they both remained out of breath – and she really hoped Neal and Anita were too in the meanwhile

"What was that for?" he asked, clearly taken aback, but not hiding the pleased grin forming on his face.

"Well, they say that what you do on the first of the year, you do it for all the year…" she replied with a mischievous smile.

He returned the hint of mischievousness and, taking her in his arms, attracted her closer. "So, you want to kiss me all year, Cru?"

She rolled her eyes, getting annoyed by her own teasing, and for a moment actually wished to get out of his embrace. But then, with the corner of her eye, she spotted her daughter and what had just probably become her new boyfried kissing again right behind Isaac's back. Apparently, acidity and detachment would have had to wait a bit longer.

"Shut up, darling" she said in fact, and just kissed her husband again.

* * *

 **Thank to _DeVilDahling_ for the prompt: I don't know if that's what you meant when you asked for "kisses", but it turned out to be a multiple-pairings chapter:) ****I put a bit of everything in it and, by the way, I'm sorry if I haven't written a moment CS or OQ, but I just can't stand those two ships so I focused on friendships instead. Hope you liked this try, reviews are always appreciated:)**


	28. Growing up

_**Growing up**_

 **Prompt: Fitz's first day of school (age 5 or 6) and Cru is surprisingly emotional seeing her baby boy growing up...**

* * *

Smock? Check. School bag? Check. Food, water, handkerchief? _Check, check, check_.

Cruella sighed heavily as she finally closed the front door of the house. Everyone was waiting for her in the car, where she could clearly hear joyful loud voices coming from, but yet she seemed hesitant; that morning she was anxious and she needed a moment, actually not just in order to check that nothing was missing. However, as she casted a look at the display of her phone, she realized that she had no time left and so, she just shook her head and started to walk.

"Is everything alright?" Isaac asked her with a hint of concern, as soon as she sat on the driver's seat.

She just shrugged, not looking at him. "Why shouldn't I, darling? It's not me starting elementary school today!" she said, throwing instead a glance at the rear – view mirror, just to catch her son grinning with enthusiasm.

Apparently, she was the only one that was seeing also the negative side of the thing.

* * *

Seeing the noisy crowd of parents and students gathering in front of the Storybrooke united school, Cruella felt even more nervous. The simple idea of meeting those people, and actually abandoning her precious boy with them for a whole morning, was giving her chills. However, after leaving Anita at the kindergarten just like the previous year, she knew that there was no excuse left to use. Soon – actually sooner than she wanted – the bell rang, the doors opened and so the Heller family was forced to become a part of that crowd.

Basically moving by inertia, they quickly climbed up the stairs and reached the first floor, where they were all welcomed by the sight of a red door and a smiling teacher. Instictively squeezing her son's hand a bit tighter, the woman took some moments to consider the figure of the young man that was introducing himself as "Teacher Edward White". Long black curls, dark eyes and a quite vintage fashion... She had seen him before, but where? Suddenly, she widened her eyes in horror, as she finally remembered that same face serving her gin at The Rabbit Hole no longer than three years before…

"I guess it's time to go… So, are you ready Fitz?"

Isaac's voice recalled her attention back on her son and immediately the horror became another one. In response to the excited smile on the boy's face and the sincere one that her husband was offering, Cruella couldn't give anything but a long and sad look. She didn't know why, but she wasn't totally okay at allowing him his first real step into growth; maybe she wasn't the one who wasn't ready after all.

"Yes, be good for mommy, my little puppy" she decided to say finally, bending on her knees. "Everything will be alright…"

He nodded and gave her a knowing look. "Yes, mommy, I will be" he replied and it was like he was calming her actually rather than the other way around.

She nodded too and then surprisingly hugged him, holding him tight longer than expected, longer than probably she had ever held him before. When they broke apart, she finally managed to make a smile, even if her eyes were unusually full of unshed tears. She felt emotional, she felt melancholy and yet proud, she felt her mother material side burst into her chest; in that moment, she knew, she could have probably said something very sentimental and therefore very unlikely. So, instead, she just cleared her throat and chose to say the first kinda nasty thing that came into her mind.

"I recommend you, show them all how well you can write your name in cursive!"

It came out louder than she thought and some heads turned in her direction, giving her a glare. And when she proudly stood up again, she noticed that her own husband had the same reproachful look on the face too.

"What, darling? I remember you that _you_ taught him that!"

* * *

They were back into the car since a couple of minutes so far, but yet Cruella didn't start to drive yet. Quite the contrary, at some point, she even removed her hands from the steerwheel and clasped them in her lap. Her body was there, but her look was empty, as obvious sign that her mind was elsewhere. Isaac, sitting at her side, tried to give her time and just glanced at her from time to time to check her possible change of mood; however, when it didn't happen, he finally sighed heavily and decided to break his silence.

"Is everything alright?" he asked then for the second time that morning, daring to place one of his hands on her joined ones.

Cruella was taken a bit by surprise, but was quick to cover it with a stubborn nod. "Of course it is, darling!" she replied, trying to act like always.

Her bad mistake was to look up at him though, realizing too late the shadow of sadness that filled her own eyes. For a moment she looked lost and unusually vulnerable; for a moment she willingly – but at the same time unawarily – offered that sight of her to him. Suddenly feeling ashamed, she sighed and looked away again, getting ready to speak up in order to find some kind of excuses.

"It's just that Fitz is growing up and…" _And I'm losing a part of myself_. "…And I'm growing old!"

Isaac's face softened immediately at that rare sight of her, but yet he couldn't help the teasing smile that formed on his lips. "You know you _can't_ grow old, right?"

She widened her eyes and cursed herself, since she actually haven't thought of how weak her excuse could sound. "Well, it's everything alright then…" she whispered, shrugging slighty.

But, despite her act, a single small tear still rolled down her cheek. And she still didn't refuse the warm embrace her husband offered her.

* * *

 **Thanks to _PMG_ for this prompt: you're right, this time of year required something like that!:) I hope you all liked to see once again a soft side of Cruella. By the way, I was really happy to see the reviews for the last chapter, they made my day, really:)**

 **As always, don't be shy to send me prompts. I know I have already many and I do take my time to write, but the more ideas you give the more my inspiration is activated lol**


	29. A form of mutilation

**_A form of mutilation_**

 **Prompt: Story on why Isaac did not get a vasectomy after Anita was born...**

* * *

"We need to talk!" Cruella exclaimed with a serious note, sitting on the bed above the covers.

Isaac had lived long enough in the world to know that when a woman pronounced that sentence, troubles were coming, and, even if his wife was the opposite thing to a common woman, the same rule worked for her too. However, unlike any other woman, she was surely much blunter at least. In fact, he didn't have to ask for any explanations, since she didn't pause longer than a couple of seconds before actually talking.

"You have to do a vasectomy…"

And here it was the talking, the bluntness and possibly a bomb. As the words fell out of her mouth, he lowered the book he was reading and quickly turned his head to her with widened eyes. His first actual reaction was a mask of shock, but then he suddenly let out a sort of amused chuckle, as incredulity won over horror.

"You can't be serious, Cru…Right?"

She didn't argue vehemently nor puffed exhasperated; instead she just frowned, looking innocently confused. "Why not? We already have two children and I can assure you I don't want a third one! So, the solution in simple: you just have to do a vasectomy, darling! Unless you don't want to mate with Snow White of course!"

At that reply, Isaac's chuckle died down. She wasn't kidding at all and that realization recalled immediately horror on his face. With his eyes widened again, he removed the covers and sat up right in front of her, allowing himself some seconds of silence, which he used all in the desperate attempt to discover a trace of joke on her face. Sadly, there still was none.

"I don't want to do it" he just said then, in a rather calm tone. But that composure was actually a consequence of shock than the effect of a rational decision. "But if you care so much about it, then why don't you do a tubal ligation?" he found the audacity and the wit to tease, anyway.

Now it was her turn to widen her eyes in horror. "Of course not! Would you really let me do that?!" she almost yelled. "It's a form of… of _mutilitation_ , don't you see? And-"

"Exactly! It's a form of mutilation, but yet you want to mutilate _me_!"

A victorious smile formed on his lips: he led the topic right where he had wanted and now, he was sure of it, she was left with no reasons to use. He was right and believed his words were irrefutable, but yet in that particular moment he hadn't considered the eternal ability of his wife to surprise him. In fact, against any predictions and expectations, she just cast a glance full of pity at him.

"Oh, com'on, Isaac! You are Jewish so you have basically already been mutilated in your sexual apparatus!" she pointed out then, with a totally disarming naturalness.

Once again Isaac was finding himself shocked, but this time also at complete loss of words. After all, how can you answer to a person who seems to refuse both the rules of logic and the principles of ethic? He almost couldn't believe his own ears hearing the useless reference to his circoncision, nor his eyes seeing the convinced expression on her face. But it was an "almost", because actually he could: that mixture of egoism and nonsense was what Cruella was ontologically. So, holding back the unavoidable annoyance he was feeling, he just sighed deeply and gently took her hands in his.

"We are in 2015, Cruella. There are many other ways to avoid a pregnancy" he said then softly, not hiding the slight hint of mischievousness in his voice.

She stared at him for some seconds as she at least considered the situation. Actually, if she recalled back the moments of Fitzgerald and Anita's conceivement, they were both times where they had been blinded by passion. A bit of more attention, some less radical preventative measures… She almost seemed convinced, when suddenly pushed away his hands and rolled her eyes.

"One of them is _abstinence_!" she hissed then, letting her annoyance show.

Without giving him the time to react, Cruella quickly stood up, grabbing her pillow and pulling the covers with her, and in a matter of seconds, she was out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Isaac was left staring at the now closed door in confusion but also in undeniable amusement; in fact, he just lied down, opened the book again and finally, he could safely let out satisfied smirk. A part of him wanted to follow her, but years of living and arguing with her had taught him better, especially on how her anger would have always come against her in the end.

He knew that, in spite of Cruella's stubborn and theatrical behavior, it would have been her the one to come back to bed later; he knew that, thanks to his own stubbornness, he was about to win that war - if he hadn't done it already.

* * *

 **I'm not satisfied at all with this oneshot, but I needed a bit of humor at the end of a really awful day:( Also, I wanted to post something before the end of the week, so here it is:) By the way, I really want to thank _PMG_ (who gave me the idea for this chapter), _CruelQueen_ and _sara_ for all the wonderful prompts: you make me go !:D**


	30. Too slow, too fast

_**Too slow, too fast**_

 **Prompt: Isaac & Cruella take turns teaching Fitz or Anita how to drive.**

 **AND**

 **Prompt: Teaching the kids how to drive.**

* * *

Fitzgerald abruptly stopped the car, accidentally hit the claxon and then immediately got out with a deep frustrated sigh. He left her mother's precious vehicle in the middle of the street, but in that moment he didn't even care; luckily, it was a small and not busy town anyway.

"I'm done with this! I might as well go on foot!"

Isaac opened the passenger door right in time to catch that annoyed exclamation and couldn't help but sigh himself. If he recalled the last half hour he couldn't see anything terrible in what was their third driving lesson so far, but clearly for the younger man it wasn't exactly like that. If the father didn't have almost anything to reproach the son for, the son seemed something to have to complain about the father instead.

"We're done with lessons, daddy! Do you realize that you are too… _boring_?"

"Boring?" Isaac repeated raising his eyebrows in incredulity. "Do you realize that you aren't supposed to be a _stuntman_?"

At that, the boy chuckled and it was an ironic chuckle. "Seriously, how can you say to love the Great Gatsby and drive a car so slowly? I saw the movie, Di Caprio didn't drive like that!"

"Oh, Fitz! Don't act like an idiot now-"

Before the sentence was ended, Fitzgerald had already turned his back and started to walk away. Isaac didn't hesitate to follow him and so, keeping on arguing during that sort of chasing, they both soon found themselves inside the house. Cruella seeing – and most of all hearing – them, quickly ended the phone call with Lily and greeted her men with a confused face. However, as her son started to explain what happened, confusion turned into surprise, surprise faded into amusement and amusement finally grew into a strange sense of pride.

"I will teach you, my little puppy!" she offered, already thinking of the dangerous moves she could show him.

As Isaac rolled his eyes looking a bit offended, Fitzgerald nodded with convinction and shared a complicit look with his mother. He seemed very thrilled at that eventuality, and so did she.

* * *

 _Cruella_ abruptly commanded him to stop the car and when he did, she immediately got out with a deep frustrated sigh. It was impossible for Fitzgerald not to have a dejavù seeing that scene, but this time he wasn't being the protagonist of it. In fact, no longer than twenty minutes of that first driving lesson with his mother, the woman decided that she had had enough. Clearly, all her previous enthusiasm had suddenly died down and in place of proud, she was feeling unavoidably disappointed.

"Is this what you had in mind, little puppy? Oh, your father could teach that as well!"

The boy didn't get out the car, nor opened the door, but just lowered the window and searched her mother with his eyes. "Mommy, please, I'm sorry! But what you tried to made me do was too dangerous!"

She shook her head clearly annoyed and rolled her eyes. "Com'on, it was just some drifts and banal accelerations! It is fun, not dangerous! Honestly, I expected so much more from you… Instead you are so… _boring_!"

That said, Cruella turned on her heels and, still grumbling with herself, headed back to the house. Instead, Fitzgerald still remained inside the car; probably, if he weren't so astonished by her behavior, he would have laughed at the irony of the situation: boring was exactly the word he had previously used against his father after all. But was a fine balance between boredom and danger so much to ask? Why couldn't he have at least one normal parent? Basically, Isaac was _too slow_ and Cruella _too fast_ – that was true in all the aspects. He sighed sadly as many doubts about what to do now filled his mind.

One thing was for sure, though: he would have taken the bus for a little longer.

* * *

 **Wow, with this one, we are at the 30th oneshot for this collection!:) Thanks to DeVilDahling and pmgiff for the prompts and thanks for the reviews as always! Life and lack of inspiration always got in the way, but at least I try to update once a week! Hope this chapter made you smile!:)**


	31. Sorry

_**Sorry**_

 **Prompt: What if, Isaac and Cruella had a fight and one of them had really goten hurt and the other one was trying to make it up?**

* * *

Unlike Cuella, Isaac wasn't a person who easily got angry and that fact had always avoided many arguments: she attacked, he refused to fight back and, eventually, even succeeded in calming her down. He wasn't a saint though, and sadly didn't have a halo to cover his ears from everything she said. He could bear insults, lack of care, snarky comments, but what he couldn't stand was being wounded on the inside; basically, he could accept his love for his wife to be unrequited, but he just couldn't see it to be despised. And unfortunately, that was exactly what she did one morning in spring, when she accidentally poured some coffee on a poem he had written for her and then threw it away absent-mindedly, saying that it wasn't well written anyway. A flash of hurt crossed his eyes, as the unspoken rule between them was broken.

"Don't give me that look, darling! You could have given me diamond earrings and now everyone would be happy!" she exclaimed, probably in attempt to save the situation and not realizing that she was only making it worse instead.

"Of course! But that wasn't something I bought or created with magic, that was something I made myself for you!" he retorted in fact, feeling his anger rising inside him.

She stopped turning the little spoon inside her cup and just rolled her eyes at that. "And now don't be a drama queen! I wounded your pride as writer, alright, but honestly, you should accept blunt opinions about it…"

Isaac chuckled joylessly and the look on his face became almost mean. "It's not my _pride_ you hurt, can't you see? You hurt my _feelings_!" he spat, as he suddenly stood up from his chair. "I know you can't understand this, but just because you don't have feelings, it doesn't mean anyone else doesn't! And maybe I've had enough of everything, Cruella!"

She widened her eyes in shock, actually realizing only in that moment the seriousness of the situation. But before she could recover and therefore have the chance to reply, he stormed out the kitchen and the only words she heard were the ones he said to the children before leaving with them in order to take them to school. The door was slammed, the house fell into silence and Cruella was just left alone, with the echo of his rant in her mind and the eyes still open wide.

For a moment, she could swear she was hurt too; for a moment, she actually feared he would have never came back.

* * *

Cruella decided to leave her work aside and instead spent all day thinking about a way to fix the damage she had caused to Isaac. She knew she had crossed the line somehow and she knew she had to make it up, but what she didn't know was how. She tried to call him more than once, but didn't receive any reply; she even called her friends for some advice, but she just ended up more confused than before. In the end, she just tried to keep her mind occupied and looking after the kids helped her with that, until at late evening she heard the door open. Isaac was back home, back to her: that's what she thought, as a loud sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Letting him eat alone and allowing him some space was her strategy and, in spite of her desire to resolve things, she managed to stick up with it. As a matter of fact, it wasn't difficult at all to hesitate, since she was unusually unsure of his reaction and afraid to face a rejection. She didn't even know what to say, after all, and so she just nervously looked at him from time to time, without saying anything and spying on his mood. It was only when she saw him standing up, ready to go upstairs and tell the usual bedtime story to the kids, that she decided to take advantage of the moment and finally approached him.

"I'm sorry, darling" she whispered with an uncharacteristically unsteady voice.

He stopped in his track and looked at her in surprise. "What for?"

She sighed and her uncertainty only grew. "I'm sorry of the fact that I'm _not_ sorry at all… I wish I was because I hurt you and this is not what I want, believe me. I should be sorry, but I'm not and I'm sorry"

Probably, it was just the real worry and pain in her eyes that prevented him from making some comments about her absolutely twisted logic; but anyway, he remained silent for some seconds just looking at her and then finally raised one hand up, placing it then gently on her face. Clearly, she was bound to be surprised as well after all.

"I know you are sorry" he said softly, offering a sincere smile. "But actually I am sorry too for what I said this morning. I vowed to accept you for who you are and, my God, you are already trying so much to be a better person… I chose you perfectly knowing who you are, so now it's not right to me holding my own choice against you!"

A new form of relief rushed through her and she expressed it at first by returning the smile, and then by throwing her arms at him. He didn't hesitate to held her as well and they remained pressed against each other for a while, just enjoying the short moment of peace.

"So, is it everything alright now?" she dared to ask at some point, still not moving her head from his shoulder though.

"Yes, it is" he whispered in her ear. "But just don't expect me to write you another poem any time soon!"

It wasn't maybe a joke, but she made a sincere fresh laugh anyway and that sound alone instantly repayed him for all the difficulties he endured everyday for being the husband of the devil. Oh, in that very moment everything was more than fine indeed.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry for not having posted anything last week, I hope that this Authella-centric chapter made it up for that. Thanks to CruelQueen for the prompt! Reviews are always appreciated. I'll try to post another chapter within the end of the week;)**


	32. Trick or treat?

_**Trick or treat?**_

 **Prompt: It's Halloween and they are having a Halloween party. Everyone dresses up! (kids are pre-teen)**

 **Notes: No party, because the story took a different path. Dresses are there anyway;)**

* * *

They were all dressed up as different characters and moved together from door to door in order to seek for sweets. Neal Nolan, Dominique Gold, Fitzgerald and Anita Heller, Melody Prince, Peter Whale, Alexandra Sherman, Benjamin Hood and Philip Briar: in spite of the different ages, they were all gathered in a single group and that was actually one of the positive aspects of living in a small town. In fact, there was no fear of leaving some houses empty-handed, even if soon the fear became another one. Entering the Hellers' garden, all the children abruptly stopped, looking at each other clearly unsure. Suddenly, the scaring masks on their faces weren't enough to give them courage. After all, Cruella De Vil-Heller was still one of the most dangerous people in Storybrooke, wasn't she?

"Oh com'on, I'll do it!" twelve-years-old Fitzgerald exclaimed at some point, rolling his eyes behind his red mask of devil.

As he started to make his way to the small crowd, his sister, who was wearing a matching costume to him, followed close behind. In a matter of seconds, the two little devils were in front of their own frontdoor and they exchanged a quick complicit look, while everybody else looked at them in admiration as if they were making a brave action.

They knocked together and, when the door opened after only a few seconds, an actual surprise showed up on the other side. All the children gasped at the vision, except for Fitz and Anita who grinned instead in approval. As a matter of fact, the two adults were both scaring and funny in their appearance: Isaac was wearing a black cloak, some fake long canins and some white make up all over the face; Cruella instead looked like a warrior, but was wearing a peculiar necklace made of garlic and holding a stake and a hammer as weapons. They had always been considered an odd couple before, but now, representing a vampire and a vampire hunter, they were even more.

"Trick or treat?" the girl asked eventually, not even trying to hide her amused smile.

Her mother looked at her intently and then quickly moved her eyes on each of the children, making them widen eyes in terror. She took all her time to pretend to think about the question and, it was only when she looked again at her own kids, that she sighed heavily and nodded.

"You are lucky that I have a _sympathy for the devil_ " she declared and then threw a quick glance to her husband.

Isaac knew perfectly what that look meant and, just smiling at her in aknowledgement, disappeared for just a second, only to return then with two bowls full of different kinds of sweets and chocolate. All the children decided to approach at that, but right after they took a handful each, they started to runaway, impatient to knock on the next door - and maybe most of all to leave that very one.

"Oh, those poor kids, they were about to freak out!" Isaac commented with a chuckle, giving them a last look before closing the door. "Finally we can get rid of these things…" he added then, removing the fake teeth.

He was about to remove his cloack as well, but the strange expression on the woman's face forced him to stop. Clearly confused, he started to approach her; however, she was quicker and, as soon as he was at her fingertips, she grabbed him by his black shirt and attracted him toward herself.

"Not so fast, dear vampire…" she said, revealing a mischievous smirk. "Tell me, do you want a trick or a treat?"

It took no time for him to recover from his surprise and return that smirk. Delaying his answer for just some moments, he bent his head and playfully bit the skin of her neck, making her smirk wider. "Well, when it comes to you, I would say both trick and treat…"

The answer made Cruella actually giggle, but only for a second, because the next one she was grabbing his face and kissing him hard on the mouth. As they broke apart, they both started to move with one direction and one purpose in mind.

Maybe they could celebrate Halloween in their own way. Maybe they could continue their role playing upstairs…

* * *

 **I guess pmgiff's prompt was perfect for the time and I did my best to post it today. Happy Halloween to everyone!:) I hope you liked the costumes I chose for my favorite family;)**


	33. The first meaningful Christmas

**_The first meaningful Christmas_**

 **Prompt: The Hellers first Christmas.**

 **Notes: I intended the first Christmas as the first celebrated as family. So Fitz is about four months old, since he was born in August, while Anita, of course, isn't born yet.**

* * *

Cruella had never really celebrated Christmas in her life, but she was certain that _no one_ had ever celebrated a Christmas like that. The lights, the adorned tree, the decors: all was defintely too much and she couldn't help but gasp when she first noticed the change of her living room. Her fourth months old son in her arms widened his big dark eyes in awe as well; if that was how he was living the first 25th December of his life, he would have had high expectations for all the years to come then. Isaac had organized everything in one single night, alone and probably with no magic, and she still couldn't believe how all of that could be possible.

"Surprise!"

A new shock hit her and she widened her eyes even more, as her husband suddenly came out from behind the tree. He was smiling widely, but that could be only guessed given the long white beard he was wearing; that unusual detail was only the smallest one of the new outfit, though: a long large red uniform, two big black boots and a red hat. If she hadn't recognized the voice, she would have probably thought that a thief had entered the house, but then again, which thief would have decided to dress up in such a silly way? Fitzgerald let out a enthusiasm giggle, while at the same time Cruella made a laugh of her own; but, if the baby's one was made out of innocence, the woman had instead the precise intent to mock the man.

"What the Hell are you wearing, darling?"

But Isaac just shrugged under his heavy clothes and kept smiling, his overjoyed mood still untouched. "Oh Cru, I am Santa Claus, don't you see?" he asked rhetorically. Then, he bent down a little, just in order to grab a big golden sack laying under the tree. "It's written the name Fitz here. Is there a boy named Fitz in this house? Oh wait… You are Fitz right? And have you been a good boy for your parents, Fitz? Mmm in that case, there might be something here for you, let's see…"

As he spoke, he approached more and more the other two and, pronouncing the last words, he had also started to open the sack in his hands and rummage in it. The baby looked even more interested, but to Cruella that sort of pretence was making a total different effect; too new to that kind of situation and ontologically too alexithymic to try and enjoy it, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Fitz has been good, just as you are being stupid now, Isaac!" she abruptly exclaimed, her voice full of sarcasm.

He pretended not to listen and proceeded instead to pull out the first gift: a little dalmatian stuffed animal, which he was able to introduce with the same previous enthusiasm. However, Cruella wasn't willing to let the matter drop yet and so, before he could put his hand into the sack again, she grabbed his arm with her free hand, obliging him to give her the wanted consideration.

"For Furs' sake, Isaac! Why are you doing all of this… It's not like he will remember a single thing, you know!"

This time, he didn't ignore her, but looked at her for some moments in silence, interrupting any other move. He didn't look hurt or annoyed though, just a little thoughtful and melancholic and the shade his smile gained confirmed that. "Maybe he won't, but _we_ will, Cruella" he answered then softly, as soft was the glance he gave her.

She didn't reply and actually, she seemed to be the touched one now. She wasn't fully convinced by that answer, but yet it was enough to lower her ostility level and, even if she didn't make a sudden change of attitude, at least she had the tact to stop her cutting remarks. Instead, she slowly sat on the couch along with her son and just watched in silence as "Santa Claus" continued to dispense his gifts. The show went on and Cruella acted as the spectator of it – until, eventually, Isaac forced her to play a part too. A small packet was in fact placed in her lap and the writing _Cruella_ on top of it left no space for doubt.

"What is it?" she asked in a whisper, turning the unexpected gift in her hands.

Unwillingly and even unawarily, she was showing amazement once again, a naive amazement that wasn't so different now from Fitzgerald's one. Thanks to Isaac, it wasn't surely the first gift she had received, but still she wasn't familiar with getting something without buying it, stealing it or winning it thanks to a successful bet. However, as far as her own reaction was a surprise for herself, it was instead exactly what her husband was aiming to and that was explanation enough for the satisfied smile that appeared on his lips.

"If you want to know, you have to open it" he teased, giving back a bit of the irony she had used against him some minutes before.

She looked up to glare at him, but soon curiosity took over temporary annoyance and her eyes went back on the package. "I know, darling. What I mean is, why did you make me a gift?"

In front of her now puzzled look, his smile became kinder as his heart melted a bit for that rare uncovered fragility. "Because I am Santa Claus and, despite your cruelty in the past, you have been a very good girl this year. So, you deserve it…"

Cruella was still a bit uncertain (and maybe, even a little bothered for being called "good"), but before she could express her further doubts, he gestured her to open the gift and so, she didn't delay her impatience any longer. Quickly and gracelessly, she removed the refined black and white wrapping paper, not caring about ruining it. Underneath, her fingers met the smooth surface of a small blue box, but even if she could already take some guesses, it was only when she lifted the cover that an excited gasp escaped her lips.

"Oh my… It's amazing darling!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands and then immediately grabbing the diamond ring she had found. "It perfectly matches the rest of my parure… It must be four carats, right? Oh yes, defintely…" she mused out loud, while trying it on and admiring its shining beauty.

Then, as suddenly remembering that that piece of jewel hadn't materialized out of the blue, she grabbed the man's arm, hinting him to lean over. She never said the words _thank you_ , but the passionate kiss she placed on his mouth was a sufficient thanksgiving. Besides in that kiss, it was actually expressed not only her joy and her gratitude, but also her acceptance of Christmas.

Finally, she was realizing that she did like Christmas after all. For its emotional meaning and – _especially_ – for the material one too.

* * *

 **I'm not going to apologize for the huge late even if I should; my intent is to keep this collection open and to update when I can. I hope that you will not abandon me during the way:) Anyway, thanks to Sara for the prompt and to the girls of the authella facebook group who asked for a Christmas story. Reviews are welcomed, hopefully see you soon:)**


	34. Understanding

**_Understanding_**

 **Prompt: The real story about Cru, Ursula, and baby Lily when they arrived through the portal.**

* * *

"What happened to Lily when you and Ursula arrived in this land?"

Cruella blinked in surprise for a few moments, then just smirked a little to herself and shook her head. That was not the welcome she would have liked to receive after a whole day out and certainly, she was not in the mood for a talk like that – or any talk at all. However, while she was trying and reaching the stairs for a well deserved sleep, Isaac surprised her again by gently grabbing her arm to stop her.

"What happened to Lily?" he asked again, calmly but yet with a certain determination. "And I mean _truly_ , not the story of you leaving her all alone into the woods to die, because I can't possibly believe it…"

She held his gaze for a short while, then just sighed annoyed but also resigned. Because after years of marriage she knew his stubborness enough and, besides, she really wanted to sleep after all.

"But that is exactly what happened, darling. You did a pretty accurate summary, leaving aside the little details…"

"Tell me about the details, then"

"Well, one detail is for example that I can't kill anyone so leaving her alone to die actually meant that I saved her life in a twisted way" she replied shrugging with nonchalance. "Then, there's the fact we didn't just abandon her on the ground, but in front of an inhabitated cabin…"

It was Isaac's turn to be surprised by the unexpected consistence of the just given extenuanting circumstances. He couldn't help but be delighted at the prospect of proving her a little less guilty for at least one of her many deeds, and it was in a sort of thrilled hope that he interrupted her immediately.

"So, you are saying that you were not always so heartless, Cru?"

Her reply was immediate as well and, against all his guesses, it came into the form of a sharp amused laugh.

"Oh no, please. At that time I didn't think at all about the side effect of your curse on me and about the cabin, it was all Ursula's idea – which I protested a lot about, if you care to know" she explained firmly. That was the only actual defence she wanted: the defence of her pure evilness, a evilness she remembered still with a mix of melancholy and pride. "I thought you had accepted at this point that I've always been a true devil" she added then, with a deceiving softness.

She was staring into his eyes and what he could see in hers were traces of reproachment, disappointment and even sympathy – all feelings that were not addressed to herself, but to him of course. As for himself, he only felt confused, because the question that was going on in his mind since that morning was still open, actually it was _wide_ _open_ now. Once again he had come close to take a guess on his wife only to miserably fail; once again Cruella De Vil Heller was proving to be for him a dilemma.

"But Lily wanted you today…" he objected at some point in a low voice, uncovering his doubts more clearly. "How could she forgive you so easily? How could she, in the middle of a pregnancy crisis, call you of all people and not her savior friend… And not her own mother?!"

"Oh, that is a good question finally!" she exclaimed, looking pleased. Maybe because that was a question she had a good answer to. "She chose me today because in this town I'm the only person who can actually understand her and she's probably the only one that can come close to understand me. You accept me, you love me, but you don't fully understand me – you just can't. Well, she _undestands_ me because she has my same dark nature and that is exactly why she forgave me… Because she didn't need to forgive me about anything, because in my place she would have done the same…"

Isaac nodded and just remained silent for a short while. It was true, he couldn't understand but at least he could understand now why the two women could have such a strong bond in spite of everything.

"If you and Lily are so alike, I hope she will be a wonderful mother like you are for our kids" he chose to say then, attempting a smile.

She smiled back and for the first time during that talk, it was a soft and sincere one. "I'll try to make sure of that…"

She could not tell him what exactly the friendship between two pure villains meant.

She could not tell him what exactly helping a pure villain in the process of loving implied.

She could not tell him that the questions Lily had were not the "Will I love this child enough?" type, but actually more like "Will I be able to even feel something at all for him?".

She couldn't tell him because he wouldn't understand. Normal people never can.

Instead, she just gave him a quick kiss on his lips letting the topic go. But, before she could finally go upstairs, she took his phone from his jacket and dropped it into his hands.

" _Call August now, darling. I think he needs someone that can understand him as well…"_

* * *

 ***Hello, it's me* Is there anyone still willing to read these prompts? I hope so, because unexpectedly others are hopefully coming very soon! A huge thank you to pmgiff for the prompt of this chapter but especially for the general inspiration to write Authella again:)**


	35. Who wants to live forever?

**Who wants to live forever?**

 **Prompt: Cruella begs Isaac to partake in the dragon egg so he will always be with her and won't age. He refuses.**

* * *

After Murder House, Asylum, Coven, Freak Show and Hotel, Isaac Heller was starting to actually believe that the new season of "American Horror Story" would have been called _Storybrooke_ , or at least his wife was giving him that precise idea.

Like mostly of their evenings spent at home they were watching something together, and like most of the times, that something was that show in particular, in spite of his frequent and vain attempts to convince her to watch something like "Downton Abbey" for a change. That however was a whole different story. What was worrying him at the moment in fact was not his absolutely lack of choice in the matter of tv shows, but actually the way Cruella was immedesimating a little bit too much into one of her favorite ones – and considering its genre, it was not a good sign at all.

"We could live like those sort of vampires, you know? I could be the Countess and you one of my lovers…" she said aloud at some point with an exciting – or better, crazy – sparkle in her blue eyes.

Isaac averted his eyes from the bloody scene in the TV and looked at her, still carrying the disgust in his face for what he had just seen. "Killing people with fake claws and feeding on IVs of blood? No, thank you. And besides, I think you would be better being friend with Mr March and his killing squad!"

But neither his clearly skeptical expression, nor his attempt of irony succedeed in lessening her worrying excitement. On the contrary, it only grew as she turned off the tv with the remote control and then changed her position to look better at him.

"I am serious. No blood, no killing… I'm just talking about the part of living forever and being forever young…" she explained enthusiastically but at the same time with absolute convinction. It seemed as if she weren't even realizing that she was proposing something more than an expensive jewel or a long journey. "We really could or actually we _can_ … You know that I can't age, so what I'm asking you is for you to do the same…"

"I don't think I want to know what you are talking about and-"

"The dragon egg" she cut him off promptly, with a persuasive smile, while taking his hands in hers own. "I still have some fragments of Lily's egg and I can give them to you. We could be together without deadline. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Isaac let her take his hands in hers and took some moments before reply, moments in which the contempt for the idea turned into a sort of bitterness. There was a time when she only thought about herself and now she was saying the word "together"; there was a time when she had wanted to kill him and now she was offering him the chance of a never ending life. He was glad, proud, of how far they had come in a matter of few years, but still he knew that they couldn't have gone further than where they already were.

"It would be wonderful, indeed, but this is not going to happen" he finally chose to say, anyway.

The grip around his hands vanished in a moment and he was met by a crossed and disappointed glare. "Why in Hell are you saying no? I want to give you eternal life, tell me, who doesn't want to live forever?"

"No, you tell me, _who does_?" he replied calmly, standing his ground in spite of her reaction. "And you are not thinking about our kids!"

"I am! We could save a bit of the magic for them as well and they could use it once they will be older…"

He shook his head and that was interruption enough. It was his turn to take her hands in his this time, and it was his turn to show his reasons.

"That wouldn't be fair as it isn't fair for me, actually. We have a life here, a job, friends, people we know. I have spent enough time travelling across different worlds, but I honestly wouldn't like to live across centuries. Life is beautiful because it's short, so fleeting and fragile… Forever instead looks boring, melancholic and empty…"

"Would it be empty even if you were to spend it with me, darling?"

"Even more." That was the surprisingly immediate answer that crashed defintely her hopes of greatness. "We would grow to hate each other and we probaby would destroy our special relationship. Nothing is meant to last actually forever…"

Cruella sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, while breaking the contact between their hands. She was terribly annoyed now by his ever so dramatic and bitter nature, why couldn't he be more inclined to power and leave philosophical doubts aside? She guessed his beloved and precious authors had put strange ideas into his mind… Oh, but she had grown fonder of him right also because of that part of him. He had grown fornder of him indeed, and that was the problem.

"So this is what you are going to do, darling… Die at some point and leave me alone for the rest of my long and lonely existance?" she accused him, putting on the most painful expression she could have used. Maybe some drama could have worked for her as well.

"Oh, I don't think it will be that long. I bet that either your gin or your car will be the end of you" he retorted with that dark humor she had been the one to teach him. But as soon as the words escaped him mouth, he gave her a kind smile and just pulled her arm to attract her into a loving embrace. "I'm just kidding alright? We are going to think that when it will be the time, when I'll be dying in my bed and that will be many many years from now…" he promised more seriously and then placed a kiss between her peculiar two-coloured hair. "But in the meanwhile, give me the remote control... It's not the case to watch American Horror Story anymore if that is the result…"

If his intent was to change the topic, it partially worked, because she immediately glared at him. "Isaac, don't you even think for a moment that we will watch that show with some old people drinking tea in front of a castle…"

Isaac chuckled sincerely amused by the description and soon, Cruella chuckled too in her own way. Holding to each other and with the echo of their own laughters, they became fully aware that they had something that a thousand lives probably couldn't have given them. Who would like to live forever when there's the chance to live a moment like that one?

* * *

 **This was another one of the beautiful prompts from pmgiff. Mentioning American Horror Story, I decided to put this into a sort of continuity with chapter 5 of Loving the Devil (when they are watching tv shows together). By the way, I was so surprised to receive the wonderful reviews I've received for the last chapter, and it makes me so happy to know that there are still authellas out there! I hope you will leave me an opinion for this chapter as well!:)**


	36. Valentine's surprise

**_Valentine's surprise_**

 **Prompt: Valentine's day.**

* * *

Breakfast in bed was a nice thought, bluebells on her bedside table were very appreciated and the strawberry pancakes truly delicious (even if they had the disgustingly sentimental shape of hearts). If that silly celebration just ended there, Cruella wouldn't have had anything to complain about, but, unluckily for her, that was just the beginning of her husband's masterplan for the day. And so, the complain came soon and in the form of a strong protest actually.

"Wait, what?" she exclaimed in fact, as soon as some more details were uncovered. In her growing irritation, she placed her cup of coffee down on the tray with an abrupt move and then get out of bed, almost risking to make it fall on the floor in the process. "Darling, com'on, you can't seriously expect me to cancel all my schedule for today! I have to finish a dress for that successful businesswoman from Virginia and I have only three days left… I can't fail, this is the first important commission I have after Fitz's birth!"

Isaac sighed at the predicted reservations, while standing up as well. Calmly, he approached her and gently took her by the arms. "I know Cru, but I'm only asking for some hours… You don't have to worry about anything, I already asked Maleficent to look after Fitz for a while. After all, you can take a little break, today is Valentine's day!"

"Yeah and about that, how is that we have to celebrate a saint, when you are Jewish and I'm openly devoted to Satan?"

He raised his eyebrows and tried hard to hide his amusement. "Because we are not celebrating the saint himself. St Valentine is associated by tradition to love, so we are celebrating this: _love_ " he explained with a quite clear annoyance in the voice for having to repeat the same concept once more. "This is our first Valentine's day together as husband and wife and I'm not going to let you and your cold heart ruin my surprise for you. So… Any more objections?"

It was her turn to sigh, heavily and angrily. Actually, she had many other objections to make indeed! But she remained silent; somehow, as it almost happened during his moments of confident determination, she chose to surrender to his will anyway. Before heading to her wardrobe, she only decided to sum up all her anger in just one single long glare.

"Fine! But you'd better remember that I do _hate_ surprises!"

* * *

"Oh, I do _love_ surprises!"

Two hours had passed since their little argument, two hours during which they had borrowed the magic scroll from Regina and crossed the town line. Now they were still driving, heading to a direction Cruella was still unaware about it, even if she had some clues. With a new found enthusiasm, she was finally embracing the idea of celebration, but the reason behind that drastic and unexpected change of mind was the gift she had received from Isaac during the way, rather than the mere trip itself. At first, when she first looked at the red heart-shaped box, she rolled her eyes in boredom, predicting to see just some more chocolate or sweets, but when she raised the top of it, she widened her eyes in surprise and let out a fresh laugh out of excitement for what she actually found inside. A new, perfect gun was laying on a bed of a thousand bullets and oh, that was definetly the best present she had ever received, even better than the diamonds!

"Darling, let me tell you that you are the sweetest of men! I bet none of those idiot princesses in Storybrooke can say to have received a gift like this one…"

"I hope so" came the unavoidable ironic reply. "So, are you starting to appreciate today?"

"Ido, I totally do" she replied with convinction. The smile on her face was vanished though and, as she took in her hands the precious gun, she found herself actually even blinking away a few tears – tears of emotion for her husband's wonderful thought, but especially tears of melancholy remembering the glorious time of her homicides. "I know that I can't use it… But just the simple fact that I can hold it… Oh, it feels so amazing!"

So caught up in admiring the weapon, Cruella did not even realize that the car had stopped in the meanwhile and that now Isaac was eyeing her carefully. "You know, that isn't entirely true… You can't kill anyone, but you can stil find a way to _use_ the gun…"

It was only at his enigmatic words that she finally looked up, at first at him with confusion and then at the building in front of them with speechless surprise. Because that was not just a building, that was a damn gun range! She couldn't feel the thrill of the kill anymore, but at least she could indeed still feel the thrill of the shot!

With the same frenzy of a child entering a theme park, she opened the door and put a foot outside the car; however, before she could totally get off, she had a sudden second thought and, led by that very same frenzy, she just literally threw herself at her husband, placing a long passionate kiss on his lips.

"Happy Valentine's day, Isaac!"

* * *

 **The worst thing that could happen to a fanwriter happened to me: my pen drive broke and I lost ALL the new stories, including some authella ones:( That is the main reason why this Valentine's story is coming late, I had to rewrite it basically twice. Anyway, I'm glad for the prompts I have received and, despite my bad luck, I will try to write them;)**


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